


Sixth year

by Ever9437



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Developing Friendships, Drama, Ensemble Cast, Eventual Romance, F/M, Multi, Quidditch, Slow Burn, Slytherins Being Slytherins, Students, background stormpilot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-04-17 10:02:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 107,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14186469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ever9437/pseuds/Ever9437
Summary: This was supposed to be Rey Kenobi’s perfect year at Hogwarts: Ravenclaw prefect, seeker, all N.E.W.T classes, and lots of spare time to hang out with her friends Finn and Poe. That is, until she’s paired up in Potions class with arrogant Slytherin Ben Solo, nephew of the school’s headmaster Luke Skywalker and best-friend to her mortal enemy. With an overload of homework, strained friendships, and a new dark-haired distraction, Rey is in for a stressful school-year like no other.





	1. Prologue: First Day-2012

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey Kenobi’s first day at Hogwarts...
> 
> The next chapters will all take place in her sixth year and onwards, so this is just some background information for the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Welcome to my Hogwarts-Star Wars au. This is the first fic I’ve written on here, so any feedback and thoughts are much appreciated! Updates will be erratic but hopefully frequent. I hope you enjoy!

Rey still fondly remembered the first time they'd all met.

It was a cool day on the first of September in London, at King's Cross Station. Rey's nerves were jumping with every step that took her closer to the grand red and black steam engine running on the tracks in front of her. Many of the students and parents on the platform were pushing around large metal trolleys stacked with suitcases and brass animal cages, but Rey only had one small bag of belongings hung over her shoulder.

Last week she'd made the trip to Diagon Ally all by herself, practically begging her foster guardian, Unkar, to let her go. Luckily he had, and Rey had enjoyed an entire day happily wandering the stores and cobblestone streets of the hidden world of magic. She'd gotten all of the required books listed in her invitation letter, as well as a wand, robes, and some fancy school supplies.

Rey hadn't felt very nervous in the days leading up to her departure, but now she could barely walk. She still couldn't believe this was all real. When she found her Hogwarts letter strewn in the wastebasket, she thought it must've been fake, yet a few days letter another letter came and Rey just knew it was real. This was something she never could’ve dreamed of.

Taking a last look back at the platform, Rey stepped up onto the Hogwarts Express. It was pleasantly air conditioned inside, and bustling with students running about. She mostly saw older students, chatting away and waving their wands around. Rey's robes dragged on the floor as she walked past them, and she shoved the sleeves back up to her wrists. She patted her pocket just to make sure her wand was still in place, heading deeper into the train where she assumed other first years like her would be hiding away.

Rey hadn't had many friends in her life, so she was looking forward to making some new ones at Hogwarts. The foster homes she'd spent the majority of her childhood in were always temporary and never filled with the best types of people, so Rey hadn't bothered to make friends. Now it was something she regretted, but she was ecstatic about having another chance. It wasn't everyday she got an opportunity to start over.

When she approached a carriage that looked empty from the aisle, Rey stepped inside. Her eyes widened as they landed on a young boy with shaggy black hair sitting by the window, who looked over at her as soon as she entered. Rey lingered in the doorway, straightening up like a marionette.

"Hello," She said cheerily, trying to smile despite how nervous she felt. "My name's Rey."

The boy regarded her silently before smiling, though it didn't reach his brown eyes. "Hi. I'm Ben."

"Is anyone else sitting here?" She asked, gesturing towards the empty seats opposite him. Ben shook his head, and Rey sat down across from him.

Before she could ask him anything else, movement outside of the window caught her attention. Two middle aged wizards, a woman and a man, were standing on the platform and waving frantically, calling something out. They seemed to be looking at her, though Rey knew she'd never seen those people before.

Rey squinted at them, glancing over at Ben. "Are- Are those your parents?" She asked him, pointing out the window.

Ben whipped around lighting-fast, staring at the adults outside. When they got his attention they smiled brightly, continuing to wave. Rey noticed the tips of his ears burn red as he fumbled with the window cover, tugging it down. He slowly turned back around to face her.

"Yeah." He mumbled, embarrassment filling his voice. Rey frowned a little. She didn't understand how someone could be so ungrateful. She would kill to have parents that cared enough to come see her off at the station. She'd kill to have parents at all!

"Hey, can we sit in here?"

Rey looked over at the doorway, where two boys she'd never seen before stood. The one who'd spoken was smiling genuinely, shifting a small brass cage in his hand as he lingered in the doorway. Rey glanced at Ben before nodding, shifting over to make more room.

"I'm Poe Dameron," The boy said, reaching out his hand for her to shake. Rey hesitantly took it, shaking lightly. He had tanned skin and curly brown hair.

"I'm Rey." She replied, and he smiled. Something about his charm was infectious, and she already felt her nerves subsiding.

"That's a cool name." The other boy said, sitting down next to her as Poe moved to introduce himself to Ben. "I'm Finn."

"Your name's cool too." She said, shifting her book bag onto her lap. "Are you excited?"

Finn nodded enthusiastically, and Poe leaned forward to join the conversation.

"I'm _soooo_ excited." Poe said, chuckling lightheartedly. "Oh! This is BB-8, by the way." He added, lovingly patting the cage at his feet. Rey saw there was a tawny coloured owl inside, nipping at the hand that had rattled its cage. Poe looked at the owl accusingly, tugging his hand away and tilting his head at the pet. Rey had never seen an owl in real life before she visited Diagon Ally, so having one so close to her still left her in awe. She would’ve loved to have bought one, but she barely had enough money to cover her required school supplies, never mind a very expensive pet.

"Are _you_ excited?" Finn asked her.

Rey nibbled on her lip. "I'm pretty nervous." She admitted. "But, I am excited for the choosing ceremony."

When Rey had visited Diagon Ally, she'd made sure to ask all of the nice shopkeepers about what to expect at Hogwarts. She was very unprepared and ignorant to the wizarding world, _though who could blame her_? A kind book clerk at Flourish and Blotts had told her all about the history of the school and its four founders, as well as the choosing ceremony and sorting hat. Rey had spent days and nights wondering what house the talking hat would choose for her.

"I'm going to be a Gryffindor." Poe said proudly, smirking at the kids around him.

Ben scoffed at that, and Rey watched the obvious disliking in his eyes as he looked at the confident boy sitting beside him. "You don't know that."

Poe glared at him. "I know, okay? Trust me."

Ben squinted as he pulled out a book from a bag on the floor. "I don't,” He muttered.

Finn cleared his throat, turning back to Rey. "What house do you want to be in, Rey?"

"Any house would be fine." She replied, clasping her hands together. Poe's eyebrows rose up into his curly hair.

"Really? Even Slytherin?"

Ben's eyes flashed up at the mention of Slytherin, but Rey didn't look at him. She frowned at Poe instead. _What was wrong with Slytherin?_ She didn't want to know. "Yeah..." She shrugged, uncomfortable with their reactions. "Like I said, any house would be cool."

Poe made a face, looking down at BB-8, and Ben returned to reading his book. Or pretending to read it, anyway. To her relief, Finn started to nod. "Yeah. We should be grateful for whatever happens, right?"

Rey smiled. "Yeah. You know, I'm already starting to feel less nervous. This is going to be fun, right?"

Poe and Finn smiled at her, nodding. Poe jumped into all of the things his parents had told him about Hogwarts, and Rey leaned back against her seat, listening and laughing. When the candy trolley came, Poe bought everyone some chocolate frogs, even Ben, who mumbled a quick thanks under his breath as Poe handed him one. Rey already knew her time at Hogwarts was going to be the best of her whole life.

***

Rey shivered as the wooden boat glided across the surface of the dark lake. Poe and Finn were to her right, chattering in hushed voices. She tugged her oversized robes tighter around her, squinting up at the crescent moon that hung in the sky, just behind the outline of Hogwarts. It looked like a picture out of a fairytale book, or a movie. It was beautiful.

"There's no reason to be nervous."

Rey tore her eyes away from the moon and to her left, where Ben sat next to her. She blinked at him for a moment, taking in his moonlit features. He seemed genuine, and in a much better mood than before.

His lips twitched into a small smile. "I'm sure you'll do well."

Rey smiled back, tucking a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "Thanks, Ben. I appreciate it." She felt her face blush as he continued to look at her, and Rey diverted her attention to the approaching castle in the distance.

***

Rey was smushed against random students as everyone crowded around the front of the great hall. She gently shifted until the person in front of her moved, and Rey was standing beside Poe, Finn and Ben. The sorting hat, frayed and limp, sat on a stool in front of them, beside the headmaster, Luke Skywalker. He was late-middle aged and greying, but he had a proud stance and kind blue eyes. He silently scanned the crowd until all conversations ceased.

"Welcome, everyone, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Skywalker launched into a speech about the school, which was Rey was enraptured by. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ben was barely paying attention, looking anywhere but at the headmaster. _How rude could someone be? Did he think he was better than everyone?_ When Skywalker finished speaking, the sorting hat beside him straightened up and started spewing words. Rey laughed along with all of the other students as she realized it was singing a song. She didn't know the words, but it didn't seem like anyone else did either. As the song started coming to a close Rey became increasingly nervous, swaying in place and anxiously rolling up her sleeves.

The sorting ceremony went alphabetically, so Rey had to endure quite a few names before it got to hers. She perked up when she heard Skywalker read,

"Dameron, Poe."

Poe shot Finn and Rey a nervous grin, practically jumping up onto the stool. Rey watched eagerly as Skywalker placed the sorting hat onto his head. It came down to his nose, and Rey stifled a laugh as she glanced at Finn's smile. After barely a few seconds, the hat shouted out,

"Gryffindor!"

Those at the Gryffindor table clapped enthusiastically, and Poe walked over to them, but not before smiling at her and Finn and smirking at Ben. Rey wondered how on earth Poe had guessed his house right. She had zero clue what her house was going to be, which was unnerving. She hoped she might be in Gryffindor, so she could be with someone she knew. After a few more minutes, her name was called out loudly into the crowd.

"Kenobi, Rey."

Rey froze in place, but it was only a moment before Finn lightly gestured her forward. Rey stumbled a few steps before gaining her composure and walking towards the stool. She sat, and clasped her hands together tightly on her lap so no one would see them shaking. Everyone was staring straight at her. Finn was smiling kindly, and gave her a thumbs up when they made eye-contact. When she looked at Ben, his lips twitched into a half-smile, which was better than nothing. The hat came over her vision, and Rey closed her eyes to calm herself.

The hat was mumbling something, but Rey could barely hear it over her pounding heart. She heard murmurs of adjectives and house names, but she just anxiously waited for the hat's verdict.

Finally it shouted out, "Ravenclaw!"

Rey gasped as the hat was pulled off her head, and Skywalker was lightly directing her towards the Ravenclaw table. She didn't look at anyone as she stumbled there, sitting down near the front. She felt numb. Students clad in blue and silver gave her kind smiles and welcoming words, but she barely heard them. It's not that she wasn't happy, it was just... she was shocked. She would've been shocked no matter what house the hat had put her in. _It was just so crazy_.

She watched the sorting ceremony blankly as it continued, smiling kindly at the new Ravenclaws that joined her at the table. She peered over at the Gryffindor table, where Poe was already talking animatedly to some new friends. Skywalker had to tell him to be quiet so the hat could think properly. Rey sighed, though it wasn't out of sadness. She was glad Poe was happy. He seemed really nice, and she hoped they could still be friends even though they were in different houses. As she looked back to the ceremony, Skywalker was calling, with a proud smile on his face,

"Solo, Ben!"

Rey watched curiously as Ben shuffled over to the stool. Headmaster Skywalker merrily clapped him on the back, speaking quietly so only Ben could hear. Rey was confused, and she squinted at them as Skywalker gave Ben a final pat on the shoulder and placed the hat on his black hair. _Did they know each other_?

The hat spent much longer deciding on Ben's house than it had on hers. She feared it may have fallen asleep or something until it shouted,

"Slytherin!"

Skywalker's reaction was a mixture of shock and fear and a hundred other emotions. Rey saw it all happen; as Ben looked up at the headmaster, Skywalker quickly plastered on a kind smile, though to Rey it was obviously fake. It didn't reach his eyes. She'd become quite good at seeing the signs of a lie, and it seemed like Skywalker was trying to reassure him. So he was a Slytherin... Rey didn't yet know what that meant.

Ben walked over to the Slytherin table, which was beside the Ravenclaw table. He glanced at Rey for a fleeting moment before he sat down. She offered him an encouraging smile, and he smirked back before turning his attention to the Slytherins around him.

"Trooper, Finn." Skywalker called out. Rey watched excitedly as Finn sat on the stool and wore the sorting hat. Would he be a Ravenclaw, like her? Or a gryffindor, like Poe?  
Or, perhaps, a Slytherin like Ben?

"I think...Hufflepuff!"

Finn looked utterly perplexed as the hat was lifted off his head. He looked around for a moment, frozen in place, before slowly moving towards the Hufflepuff table. He seemed to be in shock. Rey wondered if that was how she had looked when the hat had told her Ravenclaw.

She smiled to herself. Four new friends, all put in different houses before their friendships could even really start. Rey still wanted to be friends with Poe and Finn, even though they were in different houses. That shouldn't matter. She hoped they would have classes together. And for Ben, well... he seemed to be doing just fine on his own.

Rey glanced over at him. He was talking with a pale red-headed boy and a tall girl with light blonde hair, interest in his expression. Rey had a feeling they were never meant to be friends. He seemed to fit in perfectly with the other Slytherins, brooding and full of bad attitude.

Rey had a dumbfounded moment as she wondered _why_ she was put in Ravenclaw. She'd listened to the sorting hat's song about all of the houses and what they valued. Ravenclaw valued things like intelligence, wisdom, and wit. Rey had never gotten very high marks at the dodgy schools she'd attended in the past, so she didn’t think she was very smart, yet she was still put in Ravenclaw.

Rey shook away the thoughts as Skywalker starting speaking again. The sorting ceremony was finished, and everyone had been assigned to their houses. Rey smiled as she looked around the great hall, admiring everyone's smiling faces and bright eyes. It felt like a big, happy family, and Rey was thrilled to be a part of it.


	2. Chapter Two- Sixth year

“That diagnostic test was _so_ unfair. There was stuff on there we haven't even learned let!" Poe complained, voice rising higher and higher with every annoyed word. Rey raised an eyebrow at him, holding the door open as they exited their History of Magic class and walked into the hallway.

"I didn't think it was that hard." She admitted, immediately grinning as Poe glared at her with exasperation. "Sorry," she laughed, shrugging. "Just being honest."

Poe failed to hide the smile growing on his face. "Everything's easy for you Ravenclaws, isn't it?"

Rey rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's why I've almost failed Potions for the last five years," She said sarcastically. Poe involuntarily cringed, and Rey frowned at him. "What? Everyone's bad at potions."

Poe shrugged. "Sure, but not everyone almost fails it five years in a row." He said, elbowing Rey with a smile. "Maybe you should get a tutor."

Rey groaned as they turned the corner. "I'll just have to hope Snoke takes pity on me and raises my grade." She said, pulling out her crumpled schedule. It was the first day of school, and Rey had only received her schedule today. It was supposed to have come in the mail, but she was sure Unkar had thrown it out as junk. She skimmed the table for her next subject, and groaned even loader as she read, "Potions."

Rey swore, showing Poe her schedule when he looked at her questioningly. "With the Slytherins, too!" She complained, pointing at the word. "Snoke always favours the Slytherins!"

"He's their head of house, Rey, that's kind of his job." Poe replied, pulling out his own schedule. "I have charms next. Catch you at lunch?"

Rey crumpled her schedule back into her bag. "Yeah, whatever." She grumbled, still upset about having potions class with Snoke _and_ the Slytherins. She was sure she'd be ridiculed every second of every minute in that class, and Snoke would do nothing to stop it. He'd probably support their harassment.

Poe stopped beside her, placing his hand kindly on her shoulder. "Come on, Rey," he said, giving her a light shake. "Cheer up."

Rey sighed and forced out a smile. "No more pep talks for today. I gotta get to class."

"Just think about what I said." He reminded her, walking down the hall. "Get yourself a tutor!" He called back, voice echoing down the busy hallway. Rey turned down the hall and headed down to the dungeons for potions class. She dreaded every step she took closer to the classroom from hell. Even the atmosphere there was dark, and dingy, and not welcoming at all. How the Slytherins slept peacefully down there, Rey had no clue.

Not two seconds after she'd pushed open the heavy wooden door and entered the classroom, a few minutes early and everything, an annoyingly familiar voice rang in her ears.

"Why, if it isn't the scavenger."

Rey dug her nails into her palms as she looked to her right, where most of the Slytherins were already seated. Hux was smirking at her, tapping his wand absentmindedly against his potions textbook as he waited for her response.

"Nice to see you too, Armitage." Rey replied, fake mirth filling her voice. "I see you're still just as charming as you were last semester."

"And you're still just as poor." He retorted seamlessly, smirking. The Slytherins around him chuckled, and Rey felt her face burn red with embarrassment. Hux had been harassing her ever since first year, when he'd somehow discovered her life outside of Hogwarts. "Though, I must say, your new textbook is surprising. How'd you get the money?" He asked, sneering. "Did you steal it? Did you sleep w-"

"Shut up!" Rey snapped, gripping her wand tight in her hand at her side. Hux immediately fell silent, as did the students around him, but Rey knew it wasn't because of her. She slowly turned around to face the head of Slytherin House and her Potions professor, Snoke.

He was an old, skinny, wrinkled man with calculating eyes. Rey had always disliked him, and she slightly leaned back as her eyes fell on him. She held her tongue as she waited for her inevitable punishment. She hadn't started the fight, of course, yet she would be the one punished. Luckily, the bell rang before he could open his mouth, and Rey breathed a silent sigh of relief as Snoke turned away from her and walked up to the front of the class.

"Better watch your mouth, Scavenger." Hux chimed from behind her as Rey walked to an empty seat beside a random Ravenclaw. It was the first minute of class, and she already wanted to leave. Desperately. She wished she had potions with Poe or Finn, or just anyone that wasn't the Slytherins. She'd had enough of Hux and his ridiculing.

"Welcome to sixth year Potions." Snoke droned, writing "Potions" on the blackboard behind him in cursive. The white chalk screeched as he wrote, and Rey cringed. Snoke was one of the only teachers who still used nineteenth century blackboards instead of whiteboards or a projector. Calling him "old-school" would be an understatement.

Just as Snoke finished writing and turned to face the class, the old door of the classroom creaked as it swung open. Rey looked over her shoulder to find out which poor soul had come late to Snoke's class. It was better to not come to class at all then to interrupt it with a bad excuse. Rey blinked as Ben Solo's tall frame lingered in the doorway. He didn't seem fazed by the students' shocked expressions, or Snoke's hard glare, carefully closing the door behind him without taking his brown eyes off of the professor. Rey watched the scene carefully, practically on the edge of her seat as she waited for Snoke's reaction.

Ben lightly cleared his throat. "I'm sorry for being late, professor. I was speaking with Headmaster Skywalker."

His voice was noticeably deeper than Rey remembered, and more confident too. His eyes sparkled arrogantly under the lights. Rey rolled her eyes as she remembered that, of course, Ben wouldn't be getting in trouble. His uncle was the headmaster. Snoke wouldn't dare put a finger on his boss's nephew.

Snoke tutted. "Late for my class one more time and it's detention for a week, understood?"

Rey saw Ben's lips twitch into a smirk. He'd won, yet again. "Of course, professor. My apologies, once again."

Ben moved into the empty seat beside Hux, and Rey returned her attention to Snoke as he started their first lesson of the year. She hadn't told Poe or Finn, but she kind of...owed Snoke. Rey cringed at the memory of reading her O.W.L exam results from last year and seeing the "P" for poor she'd received in potions. It was a failing grade, and Rey really wanted to have all N.E.W.T. classes. She'd practically begged Snoke to let her do extra credit and change her grade to at least an A, a passing level. After weeks of asking, he finally relented, though Rey still didn't know why. She was not about to go asking Snoke to change her grade again, not after last year, so Rey had to actually pay attention this year. Maybe Poe was right, and she should get a tutor.

Rey was brought out of her thinking as Snoke's tone of voice changed. He sounded...oddly happy, which for Snoke meant planning something evil. "I thought I would change things up this year." He started.

Rey felt her stomach lurch involuntarily. _Change things up_? She glanced at the Ravenclaw girl beside her, sharing a look of _this can't be good._

"I will be choosing your partners this year." Snoke said, eyes glinting. Rey frowned. He'd always chosen their partners for them, since first year. _What was he changing?_ Her question was answered within seconds. "You will be paired up with a student from the other house, to promote unity and cooperation at Hogwarts."

Rejections immediately arose, mostly from the Slytherins, who looked at the head of their house with shocked faces. Hux was frozen in place, blinking at Snoke as if he'd sprouted a second head. The Ravenclaws were giving each other exasperated looks, silently protesting Snoke's decision. They were smart enough that they knew yelling at him would only make matters worse. Still, Rey's stomach twisted at the thought of working with someone like Hux for the entire year. She clenched her hands under the table and prayed that whichever Slytherin Snoke put her with would have the decency to not talk to her, ever.

"Quiet!" Snoke shouted, booming voice echoing off of the walls. "Ten points from Slytherin. You know better." He sneered, looking at his students disapprovingly. They all fell silent, keeping their heads down. Snoke huffed. "Let's get into our new seating plan, shall we?"

The noise of thirty chairs scraping against the floor at once filled Rey's ears as everyone stood and sat where Snoke told them to. Rey listened keenly for her name, and she almost whooped aloud when Hux was placed with a Ravenclaw that wasn't her. She could've done a victory dance.

Finally her name was called, and Rey internally rolled her eyes as she saw it was near the front of the class. She sat in her seat, waiting anxiously for Snoke to announce her new partner. Please be someone nice, please be someone nice, please be someone-

"Ben, here beside Kenobi."

Rey watched blankly as Ben moved across the room from his Slytherin friends to sit in the seat beside her. She didn't look at him as he sat down, staring at her new textbook instead like it was the most interesting thing in the world. She hadn't stolen it, as Hux had suggested, but worked an easy job over the summer so she could buy some new things for school. God, he was such an asshole. She didn't know how anyone decent could be friends with him.

"What's it been, five years?" Ben asked her, unmistakable snarkiness filling his voice.

Rey glanced over at him with a raised brow. He was looking down at his own textbook, flipped open to the table of contents. Rey silently glared at him until he looked up at her. His gaze was strong and piercing, and she quickly glanced away before the eye contact got awkward. "Yeah," she replied quietly, opening her textbook to the number Snoke had written on the board.

Rey honestly tried to focus during the lesson, but with Ben sitting beside her, she was quite distracted. He seemed to always be in constant motion; rubbing his thumb along his forefinger, tapping his pencil against his textbook, running an occasional hand through his hair. He was not the same awkward boy she'd met during her first time on the Hogwarts Express so many years ago. Not only was he acting different, but his voice had changed and he grew his hair out and it looked really good and he was over half a foot taller than her, and he was...

"Rey?"

She blinked as she realized she had been looking at him for much longer than was socially acceptable. Before she could respond he spoke again, a smirk on his lips. _When did he get such nice lips?_

"You're staring," he remarked, not unkindly.

Rey found herself enraptured by the way his eyes watched her, by the softness of his voice. She didn't know what had come over her. It wasn't like she hadn't been seeing Ben every day in the Great hall for the last five years, but she'd just never paid that much attention. Her face flushed as the realization hit her. _She thought he was attractive._

_Dangerous thoughts, Rey. Dangerous thoughts_. "Sorry," She murmured, raising her eyebrows and throwing him a sarcastic smirk. Ben narrowed his eyes at her, and she focused back on her textbook with a thrill in her veins. The rest of the boring lesson went on without any other distractions, and Rey scribbled down notes as Snoke lectured. They would be brewing actual potions starting tomorrow, thank the lord. At the end of his lesson Snoke assigned them an entire page of textbook questions and an essay by the end of the week. Rey couldn't contain her sigh of discontent. _It was the first day of classes!_

She was feeling motivated with hatred, so Rey started her homework in the last few minutes before the class ended. She was surprised when Snoke stopped his stroll throughout the class in front of her. She stopped writing mid-word, glancing up at him. Ben was completing his homework as well, but she noticed his quick writing falter before continuing.

"Yes, professor?" Rey asked timidly, clutching her hands underneath the desk. _Why was he staring at her?_

"Miss Kenobi," He sneered. "It's the beginning of your sixth year."

She blinked at him. "...Yes?"

"Do you know what that means?"

Rey frowned, glancing around to see if anyone was listening. "Um...no, professor, I'm not sure what you mean."

Snoke huffed, looking at her disapprovingly. "It _means_ , Miss Kenobi, that it's time you start taking your studies seriously."

Ben had stopped writing, staring at his page. Rey wanted to kick him under the table to make him stop listening. She was so embarrassed. She knew Snoke wouldn't have let her forget about how he'd done her a huge favour.

"Of course, Professor. I will. I am." Rey tried to sound convincing, but she wasn't sure if it worked. Snoke's expression didn't change.

"For a Ravenclaw, you're quite foolish." He said. Rey almost gaped at him. "Your old habits cannot continue. I won't allow it."

Rey cleared her throat awkwardly, tilting her head. "Yes, professor." She said again, silently begging him to leave.

"We don't want a repeat of last year, do we?" He asked, glaring at her. Rey wanted to shrivel up and die on the spot.

"No." She squeaked, biting her lip.

He smiled, but it was the most cruel expression she'd ever seen. "Very good." His cold eyes flickered down onto her homework, then back to her. "Number two is blatantly wrong." Her mouth dropped open. "Have a nice day, Miss Kenobi. You too, Solo."

Ben glanced up and nodded curtly, returning his eyes to his own paper as Snoke walked away. Rey was in shock, looking down at her paper. "What?!" She whispered aloud.

Ben suddenly leaned in closer to her, and Rey instinctively leaned back at the wave of warmth radiating off of him. He straightened, but pointed his pencil at the second question on her paper. "Amortentia," He said, tapping her paper.

"Sorry?" Rey asked, raising a brow. Ben's eyes shifted up onto hers, no longer soft.

"The answer," He responded flatly. "It's a-mor-ten-tia." He pronounced the name slowly, and Rey wanted to kick him again.

"I know what it is." She said defensively, stubbornly erasing her answer as he continued to watch her.

"I never said you didn't." Ben muttered, lightly shaking his head. He tilted his head. "What did he mean, 'we don't want a repeat of last year'?"

Rey gritted her teeth. "It's none of your business, Solo." She said, meaner than she'd meant. For a moment he genuinely looked hurt, but it was gone in seconds. Rey took a deep breath, flattening out her black skirt with her hands. "Sorry. I'm sorry." She said quickly, collecting herself. "I'm just...flustered. I don't know why he was talking to me like that."

Ben hummed a neutral response. "So nothing happened last year?" He asked casually, as if it were normal conversation.

"Oh, something happened." Rey replied.  Ben's eyebrows raised, and she waved the expression away. "It's really not important. I just have to...'take my studies seriously', I guess."

She met his dark eyes, and Ben blinked at her before returning to his homework. Rey sighed, shaking her head again. _Why was she even talking to him_? It's not like they were friends. They were never friends. They spent an hour in a train car together five years ago and barely spoke two sentences to each other. She was probably coming on like a typical chatterbox Ravenclaw that couldn't keep their mouth shut.

"Thanks for the answer, by the way." She added, doodling in the margins of her paper. She'd have to erase it later. Snoke took marks off for things like that. Ben only smirked in response, and the bell rang before either of them could say another word.

Rey whipped out her schedule again, looking at her next class as she exited the dungeons. It was like taking a breath of fresh air, until the hallway filled with frantic students rushing to their classes. She had herbology with the Hufflepuffs, then care of magical creatures with the Gryffindors, lunch, transfiguration with the Gryffindors, charms with the Hufflepuffs, defence against the dark arts with the Slytherins, and astronomy with the Slytherins.

Rey had been too preoccupied getting her schedule from her head of house, Maz Kanata, to ask Poe or Finn if they shared any more classes. There were multiple groups of each house, so just because she had classes with the Hufflepuffs didn't mean it would be with Finn. She'd just have to go and find out.

Rey headed to the back of the castle, pushing open the heavy doors to step outside. It was the second of September, so the weather still felt like Summer. Rey was starting to overheat in her cloak as she walked over to the greenhouses as the sun shone down on her. She didn't love herbology, but it was much better than advanced arithmacy or divination, so Rey had chosen it as an elective.

She grinned as she spotted Finn through the clouded glass of the greenhouse, walking over to him when she stepped in. It felt like the sun was shining directly on them, and Rey immediately shrugged off her cloak and tossed it on a nearby table.

"Why is it so hot in here?" She asked Finn, fanning herself with her hand.

Finn chuckled. "How was Potions? Poe was telling me you had it with the Slytherins."

Rey groaned, tying her brown hair back into a ponytail. "It was horrible. Hux was an ass, Snoke was being creepy, and Ben was being..." she threw her hands up, rifling through her bag for her herbology textbook.

Finn squinted. "Ben? You mean, Ben Solo, nephew of headmaster Skywalker? He still exists?"

Rey laughed, rolling up her sleeves. "Yeah, he exists." She replied, lowering her voice as she said, "And you won't believe it,"

"What?" Finn asked, raising a brow.

Rey leaned in closer, whispering,  "He's...kind of hot now?"

Finn leaned back, giving her an incredulous look. "Girl, are you okay?"

Rey blinked at him before frowning, feeling deflated. "I don't think so," she muttered, shaking her head. _Where had that even come from?_ "I don't know what I'm saying. Let's just say today has _not_ been a good day."

"Cheer up, peanut. Only two more classes until lunch!"

"Woo-hoo." Rey replied flatly, straightening as Professor Chewbacca entered the greenhouse. Finn's reaction was probably right. Rey was never the type of girl to fawn over some pretty-boy. She didn't have time for that, and she couldn't care less about having a boyfriend. Plus, Ben was a Slytherin, and like he said, they hadn't spoken in five years. They had no connection to each other. It was best she saw him as only her potions partner and nothing more. _That was how he saw her, right?_

She shook away the thoughts of boys to focus on the lesson. Professor Chewbacca was the head of Hufflepuff House and a tall, hairy man, but he was very kind. He gave Rey good marks, his tests weren't that hard, and he knew what he was teaching, so she liked him. He also taught care of magical creatures, which was right after herbology on Rey's schedule.

They spent the period doing light work, learning about the restorative properties of boom-berries. This allowed Rey and Finn to chat quietly throughout the entire class, where she discovered he had almost every class with Poe. _Lucky him_. Finn and Poe had been inseparable since first year, and it seemed it was written in the stars for then to spend more time together.

Care of magical creatures class was just as blissful, and Rey sat in the long grass with Finn reading ' _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ ' the entire period. They weren't assigned any homework, and Rey practically leaped up when she heard the lunch bell ring in the distance.

"You alright?" Finn asked while laughing and brushing loose grass off his pants.

"What can I say? It's my favourite time of day." Rey replied, walking back to the castle.

Students weren't technically supposed to eat at other house's tables, but Rey, Finn and Poe had been doing it since first year and had yet to be reprimanded. They all met at the Hufflepuff table, where there was no threat of a food fight or a heated debate breaking out.

Rey sat across from Finn, beside Poe. Finn gestured to someone down the table before he sat, and a short girl wearing Hufflepuff robes came to sit beside him.

"Guys, this is Rose." Finn introduced, gesturing to the girl. She seemed like a typical Hufflepuff; happy eyes and a permanent semi-smile frozen on her face.

"Hi!" Rose said, giving a small wave.

"Nice to meet you, Rose." Rey said, smiling at her.

Poe extended his hand out. "Poe Dameron, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and Gryffindor Prefect."

Rey lightly slapped his arm. "You wish," she laughed, turning to Rose. "The captain part's true, but Poe is _definitely_ not a prefect."

"Stop rubbing it in, Ravenclaw." He said. "You're not one either, last time I checked."

Rey smirked. "Oh, yeah? What's this then?" She pulled out her shiny new prefect badge from her bag. Poe gaped open-mouthed at it, looking between her and the glimmering piece of metal with wide eyes.

"No. Way." He murmured, raising his eyebrows. "You're a prefect?!" The volume of his voice tripled, and Rey hurriedly shushed him.

She smiled giddily, letting him examine the badge and pass it around he table. "Yeah. I don't know why Professor Kanata and Headmaster Skywalker chose me, but I'm not complaining."

"Congratulations, Rey. Glad you're finally part of the team." Finn said happily, raising his glass of pumpkin juice. He'd been a prefect since fifth year, and wore the pearly yellow 'P' proudly on his uniform. Rey clinked her glass against his and took a long sip, letting all of her stresses and anxiety slip away.

She raised her glass to the centre of their group. "To our sixth year at Hogwarts."

Poe, Finn, and Rose all clinked their glasses against hers, repeating, "To our sixth year at Hogwarts," With smiles on their faces.


	3. Chapter Three- Afternoon

After eating a lunch that left Rey feeling overly stuffed, she headed to transfiguration with Poe. The head of Ravenclaw house and one of Rey's favourite teachers was teaching the course for the sixth years. Maz Kanata was a woman that took no nonsense from anyone, and Rey enjoyed hearing her crack jokes to the students during class. Plus, she actually understand Rey's circumstances and that she while she _wanted_ to finish that four-page essay, she had quidditch practice all night. Professor Kanata was one of those cool teachers that let the students call them by their first name. She was understanding, and Rey always finished with top marks in her class, not because she was being favoured, but because she actually felt motivated to do well.

Afterwards she had charms class with Professor Calrissian and the Hufflepuffs. Rey was pleasantly surprised to see Rose there, and sat beside her for the lesson. She got to know the other girl a bit better, and learned she had met Finn in their divination class. Rey had become very good at reading people, and the signs of Rose's interest in her best friend were as clear as the crystal balls they'd be gazing into together. Rey didn't mind, but she wasn't jumping out of her seat to set them up together either.

Rey both dreaded and eagerly anticipated her next class, defence against the dark arts. It was one of her favourite subjects, and was being taught by one of her favourite teachers, Headmaster Skywalker, yet it was also with the Slytherins. As Rey walked through the halls, she prayed that Hux wouldn't be in her class. Her wishes were blatantly denied.

Rey was tempted to keep her head down as she entered, but she kept it up instead. No matter how hard Hux tried to make her life a living hell, she would not give him the satisfaction of winning. The classroom had been in a whole different area of the school than her charms class, so the only seat left was directly in front of the redhead, the platinum blonde, and the familiar black haired boy that was her new Potions partner. Rey begrudgingly sat down at the table with two other Ravenclaws as the bell rang. She could practically feel their eyes burning a hole into the back of her skull, but she didn't dare look behind her.

Headmaster Skywalker walked in a minute later, immediately apologizing for being late. Rey couldn't help but frown as she realized that Ben was in his own uncle's class. _How was that fair?_ She decided to ignore it as she listened to Skywalker's yearly introduction of how he'd come to work at Hogwarts and become headmaster. It was a great story, but Rey had heard it so many times she ended up tuning him out until the lesson started.

Rey was completing her worksheet on protective spells when she heard Hux call out behind her.

"Oh, scavenger?"

She gripped her pencil tightly in her hand, staring at her bone-white fingers. _Ignore him_ , she told herself. _He's provoking you. Don't turn around, don't turn_ -

Rey twisted in her seat, glaring at Hux. His ginger hair was gelled perfectly in place, shining underneath the lights. She hated how someone so malicious could appear so innocent. The professors may be fooled, but Rey sure as hell wasn't. The blonde girl to his right, Phasma, was glaring at Rey with cold eyes, and Ben was looking down at his paper as if none of them existed.

"What is it, Hux?" Rey asked, clutching the edge of her chair. Rey was sure her face showed pure annoyance, but at the moment she couldn't control herself.

Hux smirked, glancing back at Headmaster Skywalker, who was walking down the aisles and heading in their direction. "No need to get heated, Scavenger," he chided. "My pencil fell underneath your chair. Would you retrieve it for me?"

Rey blinked at him, about to spit 'you can retrieve your own fricking pencil' as Skywalker appeared between their tables. He peered over at the Slytherins' sheets, nodding absentmindedly.

"Very good, Ben." He said, but his nephew didn't look up from his sheet. Skywalker seemed to sigh a bit, glancing at Hux and Phasma's sheets and making no comments before moving on. With a huff, Rey twisted down while still sitting in her chair and picked up Hux's stupid orange pencil. She turned around and placed it on the centre of his worksheet. She wanted to snap it and throw it at his pale face, but she knew that wouldn't do any good.

"You should be more careful, Armitage." She suggested, keeping her voice light and cold. At that comment Ben looked up, his dark eyes piercing her. Hux scoffed, and Rey shifted her eyes onto Ben's. She made sure to keep her expression neutral as his eyes glinted and his lips twitched. _Why would he be happy I'm teasing his friend?_ Rey turned back around, quickly finishing up the rest of her worksheet. Her next class was astronomy with the Slytherins, but that took place after dinner, so Rey had a free period. She planned to sit in the Ravenclaw common room for the next hour and try to start that essay Snoke had assigned in the morning, in peace and quiet. Finn and Poe both had classes this period, so Rey would feel no pressure to forget about her homework to hang out with them.

***

After eating through the feast that was dinner, Rey headed up to the astronomy tower. By the time she climbed to the top, her legs were burning, and shs paused outside the classroom door to catch her breath before entering.

The windows of the moonlit tower were open, filling the room with cool night air. A bright crescent moon hanging in the sky outside shone its light into the class. Maz smiled warmly as she saw Rey, walking over to her.

"How are you, my dear?" The professor asked.

"A bit tired," Rey admitted with a smile. "But I'm okay. You know, first day of classes. Lots of homework."

"Oh, child, you will survive." Maz assured her, turning her attention to the classroom door. "Ben Solo!" She called, walking over to the Slytherin with a wide smile. "How are you?"

Rey wrapped her cloak tighter around herself so she wouldn't shiver, watching Ben enter the tower alone, without his Slytherin friends behind him. Professor Kanata must have been an old family friend of the Skywalker's, because she seemed to be talking Ben's ears off. He had the respect to at least pretend to listen, nodding every few seconds, but with uninterested eyes. Rey smiled to herself as class started, and Hux was nowhere to be seen. Maybe class with the Slytherins wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Alright, class, come in, come closer!" Maz gestured to the students to stand around her. "Welcome to sixth year astronomy. I'm very glad you're all here. Today we will be using the telescopes to complete a star chart."

Rey smirked a little. Star charts were pretty easy, at least for her, and that meant no homework.

"Unfortunately, we do not have enough telescopes for everyone to have their own, so we will be sharing for the semester." She told the class. Rey heard some sighs around the room, but they were mostly suppressed. "Let's see..." The professor tapped her wrinkled chin, looking around at the students. "Let's have all of my Ravenclaws go find themselves a telescope, and then have the Slytherins partner up with them. Yes, that sounds good."

Rey and the Ravenclaws left the circle of students to stand beside a telescope. Rey chose the best quality one she could find, at the back of the tower and beside the biggest window. It may have been the easiest choice for stargazing, but the wind was blowing straight through and chilled her to the core. _I'll live_ , she thought. The view was worth it: the black lake was still and calm, with the moon's image reflected onto the water. Hogwarts was truly a sight to behold. She still had two years left, but the five years she'd already been there had passed by in the blink of an eye. Rey was going to miss Hogwarts dearly.

Rey turned away from the window, and flinched when she saw someone standing in front of the telescope. "I didn't take you for an astronomer," she said, silently regarding Ben. The moonlight from the window lit up half of his face while leaving the other half in darkness. She was sure he was the type of person to take astronomy just because it was an 'easy a' , and not because he was actually interested in it.

His eyes hardened. "Why, because I'm a Slytherin?" He asked defensively.

Rey sighed. "I'm not trying to offend you," She explained. "Just trying to make conversation."

Ben tutted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Maybe you shouldn't." He muttered, glancing over to Professor Kanata as she approached them with the blank star charts. Rey glared at Ben as she took a sheet, pulling out a pencil from her bag. _What was his problem?_

Ben was looking at her expectantly. "Ladies first," He said, gesturing towards the telescope.

"Really?" Rey asked, tilting her head. "You're rude to me all day and now you're trying to be a gentleman?"

Ben rolled his eyes. "I barely spoke to you today. Just fill out your stupid sheet."

Rey shook her head, bending down and pressing her eye against the telescope lens. She'd been doing star charts since first year, so she quickly completed her sheet and even added extra constellations that the professor hadn't asked them to label. Ben went next, and Rey couldn't help but notice that he spent longer than she had filling out his paper. He finally straightened, glancing over at Rey's sheet almost longingly. He met her eyes with an emotion she hadn't seen on him in a long time: embarrassment.

"Do you have number three?" He asked quietly, barely audible. Rey knew she could easily be a bitch, and he probably deserved it, but she just looked at him for a moment before lightly sighing and holding out her sheet.

Ben blinked, glancing between Rey and the paper as if he hadn't expected her to actually give it to him. He slowly accepted it, quickly filling in the one constellation he didn't know the name of before handing it back to her.

"Thanks." He said simply, crossing his arms again.

Rey quirked a brow. "You're welcome. Guess we're even now."

He smirked. "I have a feeling you'll be needing a lot more answers in Potions."

Rey scoffed, lightly hitting him with her paper before she could stop herself. He looked down at her with amused eyes. "See? You're being rude." She teased.

"But it's true," he retorted. "Potions isn't going to get any easier, you know."

Rey ran a hand through her hair. "Don't remind me,"

Ben tilted his head, peering at her. "Having Potions trouble?" He asked.

"If almost failing it every year is trouble, then yes." Rey replied, making a face.

Ben raised his eyebrows in surprise, actually showing genuine human emotions for once. "What? You're kidding."

Rey smiled a tight line. "Wish I was, Solo."

"How-"

"Miss Kenobi and Mister Solo, quit the chatting!" Maz yelled from across the tower. "Talk about your potions trouble in private, please."

Rey flushed red, shutting her mouth so she wouldn't keep talking. However, Ben wasn't satisfied going without his answers, leaning in closer and saying in a low voice, "How is that even possible?"

Rey looked up at him. He was so close she could count the beauty marks scattered across his face like the constellations on her star chart, and see the details of the Slytherin logo printed onto his sweater. "I'm just bad at Potions." She answered, shrugging. The closeness and his unawareness of it was making her stomach do somersaults.

Ben's eyes flickered down onto her blue and bronze tie. "You're a Ravenclaw, Kenobi. Aren't you supposed to be good at everything?" He was almost whispering, and his deep voice was doing strange things to her insides.

Rey pursed her lips before stopping as Ben's eyes flickered to the movement. "No one's good at everything, Solo. Not even you."

Before he could come up with some snarky response back, Rey walked over to Professor Kanata and handed her the completed star chart. The teacher looked it over before smiling at Rey approvingly.

"You know, if you're so interested in Mister Solo, you should chat with him at more appropriate times."

Rey laughed, just because she didn't know what else to do. "Sorry, Professor." She said.

Maz shook her head, though she was smiling. "Those Solo men are too charming for their own good."

"What about those Solo men?" Ben asked, appearing at Rey's side out of nowhere. He handed Professor Kanata his star sheet, running a hand through his black hair as she looked it over.

Rey leaned in closer and spoke quietly near his ear so the professor couldn't hear. "Just that they're too much of a smart-ass for their own good." She answered, pulling away just as Maz looked up at them. She felt Ben's eyes on her, but she didn't look at him.

"The period is almost over, so I'll let you two get going since it's so late." Professor Kanata said quietly, gesturing them out the door before too many students noticed.

Rey walked ahead, trying to tune out the footsteps behind her as she headed through the main part of the castle to reach Ravenclaw tower. She stopped outside of the grand doors, waiting patiently for the eagle-shaped door knocker to start speaking. Rey would rather not answer the riddle in front of another person, just in case she got it wrong, but she didn't have a choice.

"What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?" It asked monotonously.

Rey replied a heartbeat later, but only because she'd heard this one before. "A stamp." She said proudly. The door clicked, and Rey pushed it open.

"See you in class, Kenobi." Ben said as he passed, on his way to the Slytherin chambers.

"See you in class, Solo." she responded, giving his broad back a final look as she stepped into the Ravenclaw common room and closed the door behind her. Rey had to lean against the wood for a moment to collect herself and calm her mind. She wished she had her phone with her, so she could procrastinate her homework and compulsively check social media even though she had no new notifications. Electronic devices brought from outside didn't work in Hogwarts, unfortunately. Rey had packed her cracked IPhone anyway, just in case someone figured out how to cheat the system and also because she didn't want Unkar snooping through it while she was gone. He'd probably sell it for money and pretend like it went missing when she returned next summer.

Rey stared at the fancy bronze clock hanging above the common room fireplace. It was getting late, and technically she didn't have any homework due tomorrow, so...

"Sleep it is," she muttered to herself, climbing the steps of Ravenclaw tower to reach the sixth years' chambers. Most of the girls were already in there, but they were awake, reading or talking or doing homework in bed. Rey waved tiredly to them as she entered, collapsing back against her bed. _Oh, how she missed this bed_.

"Long day?" Someone asked. Rey didn't look to see who it was, continuing to blink at the ceiling instead.

"I have way too many classes with the Slytherins." She complained.

The girl hummed in response, and another girl mused, "Lucky you."

Rey sighed loudly, forcing herself to sit up. She dug through her suitcase, pulling out some trinkets she liked to keep on the night-table beside her bed. As she looked through the small amount of things she'd brought, she picked up the old photograph hidden at the bottom.

It was an old polaroid, and the colour was fading so it almost looked black-and-white. The picture was a bit blurry at the edges, as if whoever had taken it had been laughing as they did so. Rey gazed at the faces of her parents, smiling happily and clutching a small toddler between them. Her mother had dimples when she smiled, just like Rey did when she laughed so hard her stomach hurt. Before any of the other girls asked her about it, Rey tucked the photograph back to the bottom of her luggage, placing some folded clothes over it.

The photograph was the only thing Rey had that once belonged to them, so she greatly treasured it. Her parents had abandoned her when she was young, just a few years after that picture was taken. Rey still refused to believe that they were gone forever. _They would come back for her, some day_. _They would. They will._


	4. Chapter Four- Humiliation

"Hux called me 'Scavenger', like, _four_ times yesterday," Rey complained, dramatically rolling her eyes at Poe as they exited their history of magic class. He raised his eyebrows in response.

"Well, that... sucks, I guess." He answered, causing Rey to let out a sigh. She didn't expect someone like _perfect Poe Dameron_ to understand being harassed.

"Wish me luck," she said, turning away to head to Potions class.

Poe grinned. "Oh, stop complaining, Miss Ravenclaw Prefect. You'll be fine."

Rey gave Poe a little wave as she walked down the stairs to the dungeons, footsteps echoing against the stone. Truthfully, she was enjoying being a prefect more than she was going to admit, especially to Poe. Rey knew he must've been feeling left out, since he was the only part of the trio not chosen for the honour. Rey tried not to talk about it too much, but Finn was hopeless. She had to kick him under the table a few times when he started babbling about how amazing the prefect's private fifth floor bathroom was during lunch. It was pretty nifty, but Rey knew the information would only make Poe sadder.

Hux didn't sit anywhere near her in Potions class, and Rey was eternally grateful for that. Today they'd be brewing actual potions, and the cauldrons were already set up on the desks when she entered. Rey didn't need Hux distracting or harassing her while she was working, especially in Potions class. One mistake, one slip of her hand while pouring in an ingredient, and Rey would be screwed.

Ben was early for class this time, placing his finished papers on Snoke's desk before sitting down beside her.

"You're done the essay _already_?" Rey asked. "It's due on Friday, you know."

Ben smirked, eyes sparkling. It made Rey wonder what he looked like with an actual smile on his face. "I know." He replied, gaze flickering down from her face onto the new badge adorning her sweater. His eyes slightly widened. "You're a prefect now?"

Rey resisted the urge to smirk, glancing down at her badge. She had to admit, it looked impressive. "I am," she answered.

"Welcome to the club," Ben said, and before Rey could ask him what he meant he pulled out a silvery-green prefect badge from his bag, attaching it to his white dress shirt.

Rey allowed herself to smile, admiring the way the silver of Slytherin house glimmered in the lights. "Why am I not surprised?"

Ben's smirk faded. "If you think it's because of my uncle-"

"I don't," Rey said, shaking her head. "You deserve it."

Ben tugged at his lower lip with his teeth, and Rey had to enact all her self-control not to stare at his mouth. After a few moments he nodded slowly, turning his head away from her as Snoke entered the class.

"Page 125," Snoke announced to the class, plopping down in his office chair as if it were a throne. Rey flipped through her textbook, reading the title of the recipe just as Snoke said it aloud. "Draught of living death. Who can tell me what it does?"

Rey raised her hand up in the air, and she swore she saw Snoke's eyes meet hers for a moment, but he pointed at Ben to answer. Rey suppressed an eye-roll, turning her head to watch him as he lowered his hand.

"It's an extremely powerful sleeping draught, which causes the user to fall into a deep, death-like sleep." Ben recited effortlessly, the perfect answer flowing out of him as if he had it memorized.

"Correct," Snoke said, looking pleased. "Ten points to Slytherin."

A smirk played on Ben's lips as he met Rey's annoyed gaze. She huffed and looked away from him, squirming in her uncomfortable chair.

"As Ben said, the potion is extremely dangerous. One drop would kill us all." Snoke warned. "So do exercise caution. All ingredients are in the cupboards." He gestured towards the side of the room. "Fifty points goes to the house of whoever one of you is the most successful. You have forty minutes." Snoke scanned the room lazily. "Go."

Rey took a small step towards the cupboards, but was forced to stop walking completely as stressed students pushed past her, seemingly desperate to get to the ingredients first. Rey sighed, reaching the old cupboards a full minute later. She'd read the page on the draught while Snoke was droning on, and knew it was supposed to be quite advanced. There were a lot of specialty ingredients and lots of specific steps, which meant lots of opportunities for Rey to screw up. Maybe having straight-A potions master Ben beside her wouldn't be so bad after all. She could just copy whatever he was doing.

Rey smiled to herself as she measured out all of the ingredients she needed and brought them back to her desk. She turned on the burner underneath the small cauldron and tied her hair back. It would be sweet if she could win the fifty points for Ravenclaw. It was unlikely, but she should at least try and prove Snoke wrong.

One thing no one had on Rey was her intense determination. If she truly set her mind to something, she wouldn't stop until she accomplished it. That's how she had convinced Snoke to change her grade, bothering him relentlessly until he caved. Rey had already saved a few minutes by pre-measuring all of her ingredients at the cupboards, and she cracked her neck before diving into the recipe. Unfortunately for her, Ben seemed to have the same idea, as he was already pouring stuff into his cauldron.

Rey tore her eyes away from him and added the infusion of wormwood into her cauldron, meticulously tapping the bottom of the container so every last drop she'd measured went in. She dumped in the powdered root of asphodel, which puffed up and threatened to make Rey hack her brains out. She covered her mouth and waved the powder away, picking up a long mixing spoon.

"Twenty five minutes left!" Snoke shouted to the class. Rey wiped condensated steam off of her forehead, reading the next step for the fifth time. Stir twice clockwise, slowly and with care. Rey counted out her stirs, leaving the spoon in the cauldron as she poured in the sloth brain. _Yuck_.

Next she attempted to cut up the sopophoros beans, _attempted_ being the key word. Her tiny knife, which Rey had to admit, was a few years old and a bit dull, refused to cut through the bean's skin. Rey quickly glanced over at Ben, and saw he was crushing the beans with the side of his knife, releasing the juice needed for the potion easily. His face was filled with intense concentration, dark brows drawn in and sleeves pulled up below his elbows.

Rey looked back at her own work, suddenly feeling a rush of guilt as she copied Ben's technique. The textbook's instructions had specifically said to _cut_ the beans, not _crush_ them, but Rey was never one to follow the rules. It worked much easier than cutting them, and she measured out the right amount of juice before pouring it into the cauldron.

There was only one step left. Rey traced over the words with her finger, taking a moment to calm herself down so she didn't screw it up. _Stir seven times anticlockwise_. She'd been so focused on perfectly brewing her potion she hadn't noticed how hot the room had become. Her ponytail had mostly come undone but not quite, leaving her with messy, humidified hair. Rey blew out a long breath, gripping the spoon and starting to stir anticlockwise, counting in her head.

_One, two three, four-_

"Fifteen minutes!" Snoke bellowed, glancing up at the students icily before returning to his marking. Rey blinked at the distraction, shifting her gaze down onto her potion. She had frozen mid-stir, still gripping the spoon upright in her hand. _What stir was I on?_ Rey gaped at the purplish liquid bubbling before her, struggling to remember. _Five? I think it was five. It was five_. She cringed as she stirred twice more, praying that it was the correct number.

Rey pulled out the spoon and practically dropped it on the table, taking a step back from her desk. She could already feel a dull headache coming on, pressing from behind her eyes. She pulled her hair back, running her hands over it before tying it into a ponytail. Potions class was going to be the death of her. Rey could feel herself developing high blood pressure just from looking at the potion in front of her. The textbook said it was supposed to be lilac in colour, but hers was...purple. _Dark_ purple.

Rey slumped down in her chair, pressing the palms of her hands against her eyelids. _Calm down, Rey. It's the first potion of the year. You'll do better next time. Everything's okay._

After a few more painful minutes of glaring at the potion that would surely earn her a nice 'F', Snoke stood and announced that time was up. Everyone stood behind their potions, and Rey wanted to shrink away from hers. Not only was Snoke going to judge her potion, but everyone else would be staring at her as he did it. _Not good_.

Hux stood smugly behind his cauldron, leaning one hand against his desk. The only comfort was that his meticulously neat hair was completely disheveled from the humidity in the room, and Hux was running a hand through it very few seconds as Snoke peered into his cauldron.

"You stirred too fast," Snoke muttered, leaning away from the potion. Hux's smirk fell from his face in an instant. "Still, impressive enough." The professor said, continuing on to the next student.

Rey stared at the old clock above Snoke's desk. There was only five or so minutes left of class, so maybe the bell would ring before she could be publicly humiliated today. Unfortunately Snoke was only a few desks away, and reached Rey with three minutes left on the clock. She gripped her hands deathly tight behind her back, pressing her lips together as she waited for Snoke's reaction.

He leaned over her desk, keeping his face as far away as possible from her potion while still examining it. Disapproval was plastered over his old face like a neon sign. After a few agonizing moments of silent tension, he met Rey's eyes.

"Did you even follow the recipe?" He practically spat.

Rey bit her tongue as she thought of how to respond. Her brain couldn't come up with any good excuses. "Yes, sir." She said.

He gave her potion another disgusted look. "It's a disaster, Kenobi. An absolute disaster."

A few snickers rang throughout the room. Rey took a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, sir. I followed the recipe, I swear I did."

Snoke shook his head. "You're insufferable. Incompetent. Useless."

Rey felt her face grow even redder, and her eyes burn. She wanted to burst into tears and throw up at the same time. She would _not_ cry in front of these people, though she certainly felt like. Rey could feel every student's eyes on her, and it took all of her will power to not run out of the classroom right then and there. She looked down, staring at her shoes so the bright lights wouldn't cause the tears pooling in her eyes to slip out. Snoke walked over to Ben's side of the desk, but Rey couldn't hear anything he said. She felt extremely numb, staring at the ground and counting the seconds in her head until the bell finally rang. Rey looked up to see Snoke shouting out something about fifty points to Slytherin, and Ben smirking, but she almost ran out of the class before she hear more.

Rey wished she had lunch, or dinner next, so she could go sit in the fancy prefect's bathroom and cry where no one would hear her. But she had herbology and care of magical creatures with Finn, where she'd have to plaster on a fake smile and pretend like everything was alright.

"Hey,"

Rey felt a light hand brush against her shoulder, and she jerked away from the touch before she could see who it was. She slowed down her pace to see Ben beside her, looking concerned. She stared at him numbly, aware of how stupid and disheveled she must look.

Ben frowned. "Rey, I saw what happened, are you-"

"Whatever you're going to say...just, don't." Rey said, hating the way her voice shook. She didn't want to anyone to console her, or talk to her, or even look at her. "Leave me alone."

Rey briskly turned away from him, leaving Ben standing in the middle of the corridor among the rush of students heading to their next class. Rey pushed open the heavy door to go outside with her shoulder, ignoring the pain she felt when she practically slammed into it. Ben didn't follow her outside, and Rey was glad. She wanted to forget that humiliation had ever happened.

"Peanut? Are you okay?" Finn asked, rushing over to Rey as she entered the greenhouse. She held her mouth shut, shaking her head. "What-"

"I don't want to talk about it." Rey said, crossing her arms.

Finn sighed. "Rey, you know it's not good to bottle up your-"

"Finn, please just stop talking." Rey said, pressing a hand against her forehead. Finn shut his mouth with a click, looking hurt. Rey sighed loudly. "I'm sorry for being snappy. Snoke humiliated me in front of the class, and..." she glanced up at him. "I don't know, Finn. I don't know."

"Oh, peanut!" Finn wrapped Rey into a warm hug, which was uncomfortable considering how many layers she was wearing and how humid the greenhouse was. Rey pulled away first, examining the tiny half-moons she'd subconsciously dug into her palms while Snoke was speaking to her.

"I'm not saying anything else." She insisted. "Let's just forget it ever happened."

Finn obviously didn't agree with limiting their communication, but nodded anyway. Rey had always felt uncomfortable opening up to other people and sharing how she felt. When she was a kid, no one had ever cared how she felt, and if they asked her they never really meant it. Rey still wasn't used to having friends who did care, and gave her reassuring hugs and smiles when she was down. She tended to be fairly open around Finn, but right now her emotions were so tattered she couldn't bear the thought of talking about what had happened. So Rey let herself ignore it, but she still couldn't forget about the feeling of Ben's hand on her shoulder and the genuine concern in his eyes.

***

Rey sat slumped in her chair, staring blankly at the whiteboard where Professor Kanata had written "Transfiguration" the day before. The letters were perfect yesterday, but smudged now, exactly how Rey felt within. How had things changed so drastically in one day?

Poe sat down beside her, but Rey didn't say a word to him. Poe was pretty good at taking hints, yet Rey still felt his eyes glancing over at her every few seconds. Finally she caved, looking over at him.

When Poe saw her expression, the brightness in his eyes dimmed enormously. "Rey, what happened?" He asked, concern filling his eyes.

"If I start talking about it, I'm gonna start crying. _Hysterically_." Rey said, meaner than she'd meant. _What was with her today?_ Just because she was in a bad mood didn't mean she had put everyone around her in one too.

Poe frowned. "Finn actually, uh, told me what you told him."

Rey sighed, licking her lips. "Great."

"He was concerned about you, okay? And I am too." Poe insisted. "I know you don't want to talk about it yet, but just listen. Everything you're feeling right now... it will pass. It may seem like the most embarrassing moment of your life, but everyone's going to forget about it by tomorrow. Okay?"

Rey nodded, though it was to shut him up, not because she agreed. No one would forget about it tomorrow, especially Snoke and Hux. She knew that. Rey was sick of all her friends treating her like she was damaged, or weak, and couldn't take this. She'd survived worse.

"Thanks, Poe." She said, testing out a small smile to try and lighten her mood. It worked, minimally. "You and Finn... you're good friends."

Poe smirked, playfully punching Rey in the shoulder. "She's back! And I think we're _great_ friends, thank you very much."

"Uh huh." Rey muttered, though she did agree. "Oh, when's quidditch starting up?" She asked excitedly. Poe was the captain of the Gryffindor team, so he probably had all of the quidditch dates memorized.

Poe laughed at her instant change in mood. "Try-outs are on Friday, for all houses."

Rey smiled, and it was genuine this time. "I'm so ready to kick Slytherin's ass this year."

She'd been playing as seeker on the Ravenclaw quidditch team since second year, but they had yet to actually win the quidditch house cup. In the past few years, it had been a very close, heated competition between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The Slytherin's ended up winning last year, and Rey was still pretty miffed about it. She couldn't wait to get out the new broom she'd bought over the summer and test it out.

***

By the time she had defence against the dark arts with the Slytherins, Rey was almost back to her normal state of being. During lunch, Finn, Poe and even Rose had all consoled her and lightened her mood. Eating a good meal had helped with Rey's crankiness too.

As she walked down the aisle to her desk, Ben looked over his shoulder and their eyes met. Rey immediately looked away, sitting wordlessly at the desk in front of them. Honestly, she did feel guilty about brushing Ben off that morning. She'd expected him to say something snarky, but it seemed like he was genuinely concerned. Rey would have a chance to apologize to him later, as she was not about to talk to Ben with Hux and Phasma present beside him.

"Scavenger," Rey heard Hux's annoying voice call from behind. She ignored him, opening up her textbook instead. "That was quite the potion you made this morning."

Rey gripped her pencil between her fingers so tightly she thought it might snap. Just as she was contemplating turning and yelling at him, she heard Ben speak quietly behind her.

"Hux, stop." He said in a low voice. "It's not funny."

Rey squinted at the words in her textbook. Was he defending her? She didn't need defending, she could protect herself. The silence afterwards was stifling, and Rey could imagine the heated glares between the Slytherin boys. Hux didn't say another word to Rey for the entirety of the class, for which she was extremely grateful. She didn't need her mood ruined again.

The rest of the second day of classes sped by uneventfully, and Rey stopped at the Ravenclaw message board before going to the great hall. Quidditch try-outs were indeed that Friday, right after dinner. She might be late for astronomy class, but Maz would understand why.

Rey spent almost every minute of her spare time after dinner completing the ridiculous amount of homework she'd compiled from the past two days. She didn't want to even think about Potions class, but Rey forced herself to complete the essay Snoke had assigned them anyways. Afterwards she was utterly drained, and with ten minutes until she had to leave for astronomy, Rey pushed aside her other homework and tried hexing her smartphone into turning on. It didn't work.

Rey tried to come up with some smart apology for Ben as she walked up the stairs of the astronomy tower, but her brain couldn't think of anything not stupid. She decided to just go with the flow of the conversation.

Ben Solo was already at their telescope at the back of the tower, leaning against the side of the open window with his back to the class. She couldn't see his face, but Rey imagined he was admiring the view outside, just like she was yesterday. He looked so peaceful that she didn't want to disturb him, but Rey knew she couldn't avoid the Slytherin forever.

"Hey," She said, setting down her bag against the stone wall.

Ben turned away from the window, looking down at her almost tentatively. "...Hey."

"I'm sorry about being such a bitch this morning." Rey blurted, immediately regretting it as Ben raised his eyebrows.

He blinked a few times, and then broke out into a smirk. "It's not your fault." His expression grew more serious, more genuine. "No one deserves to be treated like that. It was...an uncomfortable thing to witness."

Rey hadn't even considered how other people were feeling during _her_ public humiliation. She'd just assumed everyone would have been secretly snickering like Hux or pleased that Snoke was taking out his anger on someone that wasn't them. Now that she thought about it, the silence in the room _was_ pretty tense and stifling.

"Well, I'm sorry it made you feel _uncomfortable_." Rey replied sarcastically.

Ben ran a hand through his hair, sighing, "That's not what I meant."

His eyes met hers, and Rey didn't look away this time. "I know." She murmured.

The moment was broken instantly as Maz called the class's attention and explained what they were doing.

***

Rey squinted into the telescope lens, studying the tiny bright dots in the sky that were really enormous planets. When she lifted her face away from the apparatus, she slightly flinched as she saw Ben staring at her.

Rey looked around before levelling his gaze suspiciously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ben pressed his lips together, like someone does before telling you bad news. "Listen," He started, tentatively. "I know you hate me, and we don't know each other that well, but...I could help you. In Potions class."

Rey stared at him with parted lips, speaking the first words that came into mind. "I don't," She murmured.

Ben blinked, not expecting that to be her response. "Don't what?"

"Hate you," Rey replied, rubbing the back of her sore neck. "I don't hate you."

Ben swallowed, adam's apple bobbing as he did. "Okay..." He said. "Anyways, I could help you when we're brewing stuff, or give extra-help after class, or-"

Rey held up a hand. "Ben," she said in a warning tone. "I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking, I'm offering."

Rey felt overwhelmed by his sudden rush of kindness. It didn't make sense. "Why do you even want to help me?" She asked suspiciously. "We're not even friends."

Rey regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. Ben opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it, an unreadable expression on his face. He didn't look at her as he spoke. "You're right. We're not."

"Ben-"

"Don't apologize for saying the truth." He sneered, cold persona once again surfacing. "I never should've mentioned it. You can fail potions for all I care."

Rey clenched her jaw, staring down at her worksheet for something to look at that wasn't him. His words stung, even though she barely knew him. Rey still felt guilty, and forced herself to speak. "I appreciate you standing up for me in defence against the dark arts, but I don't need anyone protecting me."

"Fine. Next time Hux starts harassing you, I won't stop him."

Ben moved past her towards the professor to hand in his sheet, leaving Rey feeling lonely and cold. She leaned against the side of the window like Ben had been doing earlier, trying to let the cold wind whisk away the bad thoughts filling her mind. Just like that, she'd ruined a friendship before it even started. _Why didn't I take his offer? It would definitely have raised my mark. Now, he's not even going to consider helping me again._

When Ben didn't return to their shared telescope, Rey glanced over her shoulder to see him gone from the tower. Maz met her eyes and ambled over to her, setting a kind hand on Rey's shoulder.

"I messed up, Maz. Badly." Rey confessed, staring at the closed door across the class where Ben had left.

The aged professor sighed. "You children never learn. He will forgive you, my dear."

Rey bit her lip. "I don't think I deserve to be forgiven. We're destined to fight everyone time we're together."

"Have hope, child. In Ben Solo, and more importantly, in yourself."

Rey frowned at Maz's cryptic advice, but didn't question her about it. The teacher was right. Rey needed to believe in herself, in her abilities, in her strengths and weaknesses. She needed to have faith that not everyone was out to get her, especially not Ben Solo.

Rey slowly nodded, blowing out a breath. "I'm done my worksheet," she said, handing Maz her paper.

"Very good. You may leave, but remember what I said."

"I will. Thank you, Maz." Rey replied, picking up her bag and leaving the class.

She trailed a hand against the stone walls as she descended the tower, reflecting on how crazy of a day it had been. It was the second day of school, and so much had gone down. Rey smiled to herself, shaking her head.


	5. Chapter Five- Quidditch try-outs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey trys-out for Ravenclaw’s quidditch team and sees an unexpected acquaintance on the field..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! This is the first half of a pretty long chapter, so the other part will hopefully be posted later today. I hope whoever may be reading my story is enjoying :) Any feedback or thoughts are much appreciated! Have a wonderful day

The remainder of the week was a blur of attending classes, eating meals, and staying up until 11 pm each night doing homework. Rey didn't just _think_ she was going crazy, she _knew_. The workload they were facing was ridiculous, and Rey wasn't the only Ravenclaw finishing work in the common room when she should be fast asleep.

Potions class was... _awkward_ , to say the least. Snoke kept shooting Rey dirty glances throughout the week, but just as her friends had said, the rest of the students seemed to forget about her humiliation.

Rey had intended to apologize to Ben about blowing off his offer, but she never found the right opportunity to do it. Truthfully, she was too proud to apologize first, especially when he'd been just as rude to her as she'd been to him. Rey had a feeling that was how he felt too. Either way, they didn't say a single word to each other for the rest of the week, barely giving the other person a glance when they sat down in their seats.

It was even worse in astronomy, where the pairs of students were spread further apart from each other and didn't have as much of a distraction between them. Rey shared more eye-contact with him in that class, but she still didn't apologize or speak to him. She heavily anticipated the weekend, where they could leave all of this petty drama behind them and start off new on Monday.

It was Friday, which meant quidditch try-outs were after dinner. Rey couldn't stop moving during the meal, bouncing her knee excitedly underneath the table or tapping her fork against her plate as she counted down the minutes.

"Dude, you know I love quidditch and all, but I think you're getting a little _too_ hyped," Poe said, giving Rey a sideways glance. "It's only try-outs."

Rey stopped her tapping, setting down her utensils. "I know," she said. "Can't I be happy?"

Finn piped in, "Of course, Rey. Don't listen to him," gesturing at Poe with a smile on his face. Poe rolled his eyes, but Rey could see the twitch of his lips at Finn's playful jabs. _Were they a thing now?_ Rey gaped between her two best friends as the thought struck her. They were eating normally, as they always would, but she suddenly became hyper-aware of the little glances and snarky comments they shared. _Jesus Christ. My best friends are in love with each other and don't realize it._

"Earth to Rey, earth to Rey," Poe repeated, waving his hand in front of her face. Rey leaned back, blinking away her realization.

"Sorry, sorry, just thinking." She mumbled, taking a last bite of the creamy mashed potatoes on her plate before pushing the half-eaten meal away. Normally Rey would be eating more, but the quidditch try-outs was twisting her stomach into knots.

Rey didn't have a reason to be nervous. All of her friends would tell her she was crazy for being worried, but Rey couldn't shake the feeling. She'd been the Ravenclaw seeker since second year, and she knew she was good, but she wasn't spectacular enough to be a professional player or anything. Rey was starting to doubt herself these days. There could easily be another Ravenclaw way more talented than her, just waiting to try out for the team until later in their school career. Quidditch was important to Rey, and she didn't want to lose it.

"I think I'm gonna go get ready for the try-outs," Rey announced to her friends.

Rose smiled from her spot beside Finn. "Good luck, Rey. I know you'll do amazing!"

Finn nodded. "Yeah. You go kill 'em, Peanut."

Rey grinned excitedly, standing up. "Thanks, guys. You're the best. See you later!"

Poe awkwardly cleared his throat and stood as well. "I'm gonna go get ready, too." He met Rey's eyes, and she saw a strange expression in them. Rey was just leaving so she could calm down, as it was way too early to get ready, _so why was Poe leaving_?

Rey raised a brow at him, stepping over the bench. "Let's go, then." She said to Poe.

They walked side-by-side out of the Great hall and into the main corridor, where Rey pulled Poe into an abandoned hallway and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Poe, what is going on?" She asked. He opened his mouth, surely too shoot back some classic excuse, but Rey kept talking. "Don't bullshit me."

Poe sighed, shrugging away Rey's hand. "Nothing's going on. I just wanted to get ready early."

Rey tilted her head. "You know what I think?"

Poe ran a hand through his curly hair. "What?"

"I think you're jealous, Poe."

His eyes widened, and then he started laughing. "Yeah, I don't think so. Who would I be jealous of?"

It would be so easy to tell him. _Rose. You're jealous of Finn and Rose's friendship. You're jealous she's getting attention you're not._

Rey just shook her head. "Never mind, you have enough stuff going on right now. Go get ready, Captain."

Poe gave her a look. "Alright then...See you on the field."  He turned away, heading to the Gryffindor common room, black robes flowing behind him as he walked. _Was he really in denial of his feelings, or was he just pretending?_ Rey didn't know, and she didn't want to ask. Finn and Poe could figure out their complicated crushes themselves.

Rey took her time walking to Ravenclaw tower, collecting herself, and as time passed, increasingly hyping herself up. She could do this.

Rey changed into her blue and bronze Ravenclaw Quidditch robes from last year, looking at herself in the bathroom mirror of the Ravenclaw dormitories. In her quidditch uniform, Rey looked strong and fierce. The blue brought out the colour in her eyes, and lightened up her complexion. It was nice to be wearing pants for once, instead of the stupid school uniform skirts she'd been wearing all week. Rey combed her hair and styled it back into her signature three-bun style, so it wouldn't get in the way while she was flying. None of the other girls wore their hair like that, but Rey was for functionality, not fashion.

Before she knew it, it was time for her to head over to the Quidditch pitch. Rey grabbed her new broom on the way out of her room, gripping it tightly in her hands. Some first years in the common-room gave her broomstick a longing look as she passed, and Rey gave them all quick smiles before zooming out. The thing had been bloody expensive, and Rey was not about to let some first-year get their sticky hands on it, _thank you very much._

The sun wasn't due to set for a neither hour or two, and sunlight still beamed down onto the freshly mown quidditch pitch. Rey almost skipped over to it, feeling increasingly excited by every passing moment. She'd never been a big sports fan growing up, but when Rey discovered quidditch she became a fanatic. Last summer, she'd desperately wanted to attend the quidditch World Cup. Poe went with Finn, and he'd even offered to buy Rey a ticket so she could come, but she'd been grounded that week. Quidditch was the only sport Rey was actually good at, so she got competitive when she played. Poe always warned her that one day she'd push someone right off of their broom.

Rey stepped onto the field, approaching the Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, Jessika Pava, who turned towards Rey and broke into a grin when she saw her.

"Thank god you're here. I was getting nervous you wouldn't show." Jess said, leaning against her broom. It was a nice, fancy model Rey had seen in the stores at Diagon Ally, but hadn't been able to afford.

"Of course I came," Rey said. "I wouldn't miss try-outs for the world."

Jess nodded. "I hope we get some fresh blood this year," she murmured, looking off into the distance where more students were heading towards the pitch. Rey didn't reply. She liked their Ravenclaw team the way it was, close and a bit clumsy, but successful. New blood meant Rey might be replaced.

"Hey ladies," A suave voice said from behind them. Rey looked over to see Poe, adorned in his red and gold quidditch robes. He looked oddly regal, and very _Poe Dameron_.

"Dameron," Jess replied, eyes flickering down to the badge on his robes. "I see your Captain status hasn't been revoked yet."

Poe smiled, white teeth shining in the sunlight. "Nope, safe for another year." He scanned the incoming crowd, and the smile instantly feel from his face. "Guys, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Rey peered at the incoming group of people adorned in green and silver Slytherin quidditch robes, but couldn't make out any specific faces. She looked over at Jess, who was scowling sourly.

"What are we looking at?" Rey asked, looking between them.

Poe met her eyes, covertly pointing at the Slytherins. "Armitage Hux," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Rey's mouth dropped involuntarily. "What?"

Jess glanced at them with a frown. "Oh. I was looking at Ben Solo."

"What?!" Rey repeated, more alarm behind her words.

"Shush!" Poe whispered, nudging the girls to look at the Slytherins. "They're coming over here."

Rey straightened, and as the group approached she could make out Hux and Ben's familiar figures. She swore under her breath, taking a deep breath of the chilly air.

The Slytherins stopped walking at the edge of the pitch, and Hux left the group to stride over to them.

"Dameron. Pava. Scavenger." He sneered, holding a broomstick even more expensive looking than Jessika's. Rey didn't comment on the nickname, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"What is that?!" Poe asked with alarm, pointing at the shiny silver badge on Hux's quidditch robes. Rey peered at it from where she stood. It had a big capital "C" on it, just like the badges that Poe and Jess wore. _No way_...

Hux smirked, not even glancing down at it. "I'm Slytherin Captain. Surprised?" Rey glared at Hux until he looked at her. His smirk didn't fade from his stupid face. "Enjoy your try-outs," he boded, malice filling his voice as he walked back to the Slytherins.

Rey shook her head, turning towards the captains. They looked even more shocked than her. Poe had gone pale, and Jess's face was red with anger.

"What is life right now?" Poe asked quietly, blinking at the dirt.

"Hell," Rey answered, mostly to herself. "There's a bunch of people waiting over there. We should start try-outs."

"Bye, Dameron." Jess said without looking at him, tugging at Rey's hand to follow her. They walked over to the group of Ravenclaws waiting on the stands, and Rey sat in an empty space near the front.

"Welcome to quidditch try-outs," Jess said to the Ravenclaws in front of her, scanning the crowd. "I'm glad to see many of you have returned, and I'm also glad to see some new faces in the crowd. Unfortunately-" Jess sighed and rolled her eyes. "this year all houses are doing try-outs at the same time, so just _try_ and get along with everyone. Follow me,"

Jess led the Ravenclaws to the centre of the field, where the captains of the other houses soon joined her. They talked quietly before addressing their respective houses.

"Ravenclaws! I need all chasers, keepers, and beaters on that end of the field," Jess shouted, pointing behind her. "Seekers, please wait on the other end until I call you over. It might be awhile."

Rey inwardly sighed as she ambled away from the main group, walking across the field to the place where the seekers were supposed to be. They usually tried out all of the other positions together first, for compatibility and such, and then did seekers separately. It might be over an hour before Rey could actually mount her new broom and play quidditch.

She reached the end of the field, and sat down in the grass with her back against one of the tall golden goal posts. The sky was already starting to turn amber at the edges. Rey leaned her head back, closing her eyes and letting the cool end-of-summer breeze blow over her face.

Rey opened her eyes as the other seekers arrived, sitting in somewhat of a circle around her. She saw a few other Ravenclaws among them, fourth or fifth years, who looked at her tentatively. Rey had never thought she'd be intimidating, but these kids looked scared shitless. Normally she would've ignored younger kids, but since Rey was a prefect, she felt some sort of responsibility to be a good role model.

"So, you all play as seekers?" Rey asked the Ravenclaws in the group. They wordlessly nodded, looking like deers caught in headlights. Rey smiled genuinely to loosen them up. "That's great. It's really brave of you to put yourselves out there and try-out. You should be very proud of yourselves."

One of the kids cracked a smile. "Thanks...Rey, right? Aren't you a prefect?"

Rey nodded. "Yep, and Ravenclaw Seeker for the past four years." The kid's eyes widened tremendously. "Not to make you nervous, or anything." Rey added, smiling sheepishly. _Smooth_. Rey cleared her throat, playing with the grass beside her thigh to hide the embarrassment on her face. Only when she saw someone else's hand doing the same thing a foot away did Rey look up to see who was sitting beside her.

She blinked at them. It was Ben.


	6. Chapter Six- Seeker

His dark eyes pierced hers as he glanced up from the grass. As per usual, he looked completely neutral, no expression on his face. Rey bit the inside of her lip, continuing to pick at the grass.

"I didn't know you played quidditch," she offered, quietly enough that the others in the group knew to start their own conversations.

Ben tilted his head. "I don't." Rey frowned, and he quickly elaborated. "I mean, I've never tried out for the school team before."

She looked at him again, soaking in his strong, sunlit features. Rey wasn't usually the type to notice small details in people, but with Ben she couldn't help herself. His hair was just slightly wavy, as black as the night sky. His face had looked a little disproportionate when he was eleven, but he'd obviously grown into his features. The arrogant glint in his eyes was annoying, yet weirdly attracting.

"Why are you trying out?” She wondered. “As a seeker, of all things?"

Randomly deciding to try-out for seeker in your sixth year was not something a normal person did, since it was such a coveted position, but apparently Ben wasn't a normal person.

He shrugged, gazing off at the other side of the field where the students were flying around on their broomsticks. "My dad's a huge quidditch fan, and he's been pressuring me to try-out since first year, so... I don't know. Thought I'd make him happy for once."

Rey froze, blinking at him. He'd never talked about his parents before. From what he was saying now, it seemed like they didn't have the best relationship. Rey still vaguely remembered seeing the happy pair on platform 9 3/4, waving and smiling at their son as they headed off to Hogwarts. _Guess things were different now._

"Ben, I'm sure you make him happy all the time." Rey said, trying to convince him. His eyes had turned downcast and far-off. He'd never looked so vulnerable before, and it was an unnerving difference from the arrogant person she was so used to communicating with.

He met her gaze with a sigh. The sunlight caused his eye colour to appear lighter and less aggressive. "That's what I've told myself for years. But it's time to let the past die."

Rey raised her eyebrows, but decided not to ask him any further questions. It seemed like a sensitive topic, and by the way Ben had his mouth firmly shut, it must've been something that he didn’t want to discuss. She shifted her eyes to the sky above and saw Poe flying swiftly down the field with the quaffle held tightly in his arms. Rey held her breath as he approached the goal posts, but relaxed as he passed the ball to another chaser. The quaffle was scored, and it landed with a thud a few feet behind her. Rey stood to pick it up, and when she turned around Poe had landed, running a hand through his now windswept hair.

"Anyone good yet?" She called, tossing him the ball when she got close enough.

Poe grinned, eyes glinting. "Actually, yes. I think we might beat you this year."

" _Ha-ha, very funny_ ," Rey deadpanned, lightly punching him on the arm. "We're gonna kick your ass and you know it."

"Guess we'll have to wait and see, Ravenclaw," Poe replied, hitting Rey with one of those charming smiles that would make any other girl swoon. "Gotta head back. Catch you later?"

"Have fun," Rey called, watching Poe jump on his broomstick like the wicked witch of the west and kick off into the air. When she turned back around, she found almost everyone in the group watching her. Rey smoothed down her quidditch robes as their eyes skittered away, returning to her spot against the post.

"Not that it's my business or anything," Ben said suddenly, quietly enough that only Rey could hear. "But are you and Dameron a thing?"

Rey openly gaped at him, but his face was utterly serious, if not curious. "A...thing?"

Ben stared at her as if what he was saying was obvious. "Like, are you screwing him?"

"Oh my god, _Ben_!" Rey exclaimed, raising her eyebrows. She violently shook her head, putting up her hands. "Jesus, _no_. No. Never."

He shrugged half-heartedly, seemingly unconvinced. "If you say so, _Ravenclaw_."

Rey straightened, tying to portray how serious she was with her tone of voice. "He's my friend, Ben. _Best_ friend."

"So?" He asked incredulously, eyebrows scrunching. "A lot of relationships start off as friendships."

Rey stared at him. "Well, _not_ this one, okay?" She almost cringed at the thought. "Anyway, Poe's... gay. I think."

Ben squinted at her. "You... _think_?"

Rey threw up her hands. "He hasn't admitted it, but it's pretty obvious." She said. "I think him and Finn are both crushing on each other, but they just won't admit it to themselves."

She immediately covered her mouth with her hand at Ben's shocked expression. "Shit. Forget I said that, okay? They'd kill me." Rey couldn't believe she'd just said that out loud, to Ben of all people.

Ben lightly shook his head, amusement replacing the shock on his face. "Can't keep your mouth shut, can you, Kenobi?"

"Ben, please," Rey begged. If Hux found out, then Poe and Finn would be harassed by the Slytherins for the rest of the school year, and all because of her. She would never be able to forgive herself.

Ben pressed his lips together, returning his attention to the try-outs in the distance. "Fine." He muttered, keeping his attention off of her.

Rey let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Thank you. You're a saviour." She murmured, letting out a tired sigh. At least things wouldn't be so awkward between them in astronomy class later that night.

A good hour later, it was finally time to try-out the seekers. Rey noticed one of the ravenclaw seekers leave before they even started, and she felt awfully guilty even though it wasn't really her fault.

The Gryffindor seekers went first, and Rey saw Poe writing detailed notes on a clipboard the entire time, eyes scrunched in focus. She submitted the image to her memory bank to laugh at later. She was too anxious at the moment to be amused. The Hufflepuffs went next, and then it was time for the Slytherins.

"Good luck," Rey said to Ben as he stood and walked a few paces to the white line marked on the grass, standing beside the other seekers. She almost wanted to laugh- Ben was easily the tallest person there, and he looked very intimidating next to the fifth-years. Rey was also quite curious about Ben's skill in quidditch. He'd said he didn't play, but that was probably an understatement. If his dad was a big fan, then Ben would've been flying on a little broomstick since he was a toddler. Rey had only learned in her first year at Hogwarts.

Hux held out a fisted pale hand, which was jerking around a few inches in all directions. _The snitch_. The wind carried his sneering voice back to her. "Only go when I tell you to." He told the seekers. Hux opened his palm, and a flash of gold flew out, disappearing into the sky. Hux waited a few seconds before stepping back and shouting, "Go!"

Ben was the first in the air, quickly pursued by the other Slytherins. Being a seeker took more than physical strength or speed, so it was hard to judge someone's skill just based on appearance. It took good eyesight, immense concentration, patience, and much more.

Rey squinted up into the sky at the tiny figures flying around above her. From below everyone looked the same, and Rey had lost track of Ben. She attempted to search for the snitch, but from her position it was impossible. Rey stopped watching the Slytherins, running a hand over her new broomstick as she waited for her turn.

Hux scoffed loudly, and Rey looked up to see Ben walking smugly towards the red-head with a closed fist. _That was fast_. Hux took the snitch back quickly, as if trying to hide the fact that Ben had caught it. The other Slytherins landed, looking disheveled and pissed. Rey would be too, if some random Ravenclaw had tried out for the team and caught the snitch before her.

When Hux remained silent, and none one else said a word to him, Rey forced herself to be the bigger person.

"Nice catch," She murmured as she passed him, standing along the white line with the few other Ravenclaws trying out.

"Good luck," she heard him respond behind her. Rey smirked, mounting her broom and gripping it in front of her. It felt a bit uncomfortable to sit on, new brooms always were, so Rey shimmied slightly to adjust herself as Jessika appeared beside her. The Ravenclaw Captain outstretched her fist, peering along the line. She met Rey's eyes and gave her a small smile before clearing her throat.

"On 'go', Ravenclaws!" Jess shouted. Rey took in a deep breath, licking her dry lips. _Come on, Rey. You can do this_. Jessika opened up her palm, and the golden snitch flew out, buzzing in the air. It rose higher and higher, and Rey didn't dare tear her eyes away from it, not even looking at Jess as she counted down, "Three, two, one...and go!"

Rey kicked off the ground and flew upwards at a breathtaking speed. The green ground of the quidditch pitch grew farther and farther away every second, and Rey laughed as she reached her desired altitude and stopped moving upwards. She'd forgotten how good it felt to fly. She felt so light, so happy, so free.

By now the snitch was at the other end of the pitch, a tiny speckle of gold glinting in the sunlight. Rey ignored the Ravenclaws in the air around her, leaning forward and urging her broom to fly as fast as possible. This new broom was definitely faster than her old one. Wind whipped past her face, pricking tears in her eyes, and Rey suddenly wished she'd brought some goggles with her. She heard a faint cry of support from below, presumably from Poe.

Rey didn't know where the other seekers were, and she found she didn't care. The snitch was thirty feet away, and Rey was going to catch it no matter what. Quidditch turned her into a very competitive person.

Just as Rey was in a ten-foot radius of the snitch, it erratically shot away from her. Rey was forced to slow down considerably, cursing as she jeered her broom to the left, chasing after the ball.

It was moving slower than normal- bewitched to play easier since these were just try-outs- so once Rey caught up to the snitch she reached out and clutched it in her outstretched hand with ease.

The tiny snitch continued to thrash in her palm, and Rey felt the ends of its metal wings scratching her skin, but she barely felt it. She'd caught the snitch, and none of the Ravenclaw seekers were in sight. Her position would be kept.

Rey broke into a smile, flying back to the other side of the pitch at a leisurely pace. The sun was setting now, reflecting beautiful orange hues onto the surface of the Black Lake.  The wind wasn't nearly as strong as it had been when she was flying, cool against her flushed face. Rey landed on the ground with a soft thud, handing the snitch back to Jessika, who quickly placed it back in the velvet box before it could fly away.

"Don't worry about checking the team list-you'll be on it." The Captain said with a smirk. Rey grinned, giving the seventh year a quick hug.

Poe appeared beside her, giving Rey a high-five. "That's my boy!" He laughed. Rey rolled her eyes, though there was still a smile on her face.

"Does anyone know what time it is?" She asked them, smoothing down her quidditch uniform.

Jessika and Poe both brought up their wrists, peering at the time displayed on their school-issued watches.

"Almost 7:00," Jess replied, tilting her head. "Don't you have class tonight?"

Rey gaped at them, glancing back at Ben. He'd heard Jess too, and looked equally alarmed at the time.

" _Shit_ ," Rey muttered. "I have astronomy in ten minutes!"

Poe raised his eyebrows. "Jesus, Rey. Use your broom!"

"Thanks, see you guys later!" Rey blurted, already mounting her broom and urging it towards the castle. She sped off low to the ground, tips of her shoes brushing the grass. She heard Ben behind her, flying just as urgently.

Once inside the castle, Rey sprinted to Ravenclaw tower, almost yelling the answer to the door's riddle so she could get inside. She changed into her school uniform with lightning speed, not bothering to pull on her black robes or re-do her hairstyle as she rushed out the door.

She was already a few minutes late for class, and the astronomy tower was located at the other side of the school. Rey ran as fast as she could when no teachers were visible in the halls, footsteps echoing loudly on the stone. By the time she reached the tower, she was a solid ten minutes late. Rey met Ben at the bottom of the stairs, and neither of them bothered to speak as they climbed the stone them two at a time.

Rey paused outside the door, smoothing herself out. "We're screwed," she muttered under her breath, resting her hand on the doorknob.

It was dead silent in the tower, except for the squeaking of the door as Rey pushed it open. Her chest was still heaving from running so much, and Rey could only imagine how disheveled she looked at the moment, face flushed and hair messy. The students were kind enough to only stare for a few seconds before returning to their work, but Maz was not.

The professor took a big sigh, tiny shoulders rising and dropping as if the weight of the world was on them. "What on _earth_ were you two doing?"

Rey blinked at the teacher, sensing the flush creeping onto her cheeks. _Did she think we were...?_  She stepped further into the class, holding the door open behind her for Ben. "We had quidditch tryouts, Professor. I'm so sorry we're late."

Professor Kanata clucked disapprovingly, gesturing for Rey and Ben to come closer. "Did you catch the snitch?" She asked Rey quietly.

Rey broke out into a grin, letting out a nervous laugh. For a moment she thought she was actually going to get in trouble. "Of course," Rey answered.

Maz smirked, but it faded as she shifted her gaze up at Ben, who was at least a foot taller than her. "I don't remember _you_ playing quidditch, Mister Solo."

Ben ran a hand through his hair, which was adorably messed up from the try-outs. "I'm the new Slytherin seeker as of tonight, Professor." He answered, zero enthusiasm in his voice.

"Very well, very well. Here are your sheets," Maz said, handing them their papers. "Get to work! And don't be late for my class again, understood?"

"Yes, Professor." Rey and Ben answered in unison, moving to their usual spots at the back of the tower.

Rey immediately slumped against the wall, rubbing her eyelids. She was exhausted, and the fact that she still had homework to do on the weekend was not comforting. "I don't understand- how do you know you're the seeker?" She asked Ben, peering up at him.

He looked down at her like a teenager looks down at an immature child. "Hux told me."

Rey hummed a neutral response. "Good for you, I guess."

Ben silently rolled his eyes. "I'm not looking forward to it. I'm busy enough as it is."

"I'm sure," she mused, lightly groaning as she stood up, brushing invisible dust off the back of her skirt. Rey froze as she leaned in towards the telescope. "Wait- if you're the Slytherin seeker, than that means..."

Ben smirked, amusement flickering over his face. "It means I get to kick your ass on the quidditch pitch."

Rey glared at him, their intertwining gazes a deadly combination. "I don't think so, Solo. Ravenclaw's already got that cup in the bag,"

"I'm sure," he murmured in that deep voice of his, smirking more as Rey realized he'd repeated her words. She sighed in defeat, loosening her blue and bronze tie from around her neck. Her sweater suddenly felt uncomfortably hot and itchy, and Rey just wanted to jump into her cool bed and sleep until 11 am the next day. Unfortunately, there was still an hour left of class, and Rey was forced to endure Ben's quidditch remarks for the rest of the evening before her weekend started. Somehow, she ended up enjoying it.


	7. Chapter Seven-Hogsmeade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and the gang visit Hogsmeade Village on their weekend break

It was a beautiful and bright Saturday afternoon, and Rey, Poe, Finn, and Rose were happily strolling through the wide cobblestone streets of Hogsmeade Village. The weekend was a much needed break from the onslaught of lessons Rey had faced during the past week. She was glad to forget about her homework and enjoy Hogsmeade and its quirks with her friends, if only for the day.

It was a bit strange to see everyone out of their school uniforms and in ordinary Muggle clothing, especially those raised by wizarding families. Their outfits were nothing like the ones Rey saw other teens wearing on social media. Rey was dressed in a pair of black leggings, with a white t-shirt from some band that she'd acquired over the summer.

" _So_ , how'd the quidditch try-outs go?" Finn asked her while they both paused to peer through the window of a bake shop. Rey licked her lips at the fresh pastries displayed inside, and forced herself to pay attention to her best friend instead of the sweets.

"Oh, I caught the snitch! Jess already told me I'm seeker."

"That's great, peanut!" Finn laughed, pulling Rey into a quick hug. "Ravenclaw Prefect _and_ Ravenclaw Seeker," He muttered, shaking his head. " _Jesus_."

"Guys, come _on_! I want to get some butterbeer!" Poe whined from the middle of the street, gesturing for Rey and Finn to return.

" _So_ impatient, Dameron," Rey chided, resuming her spot beside him as they headed to The Three Broomsticks.

Poe gave her a side-ways glare. "I'm thirsty, okay?"

"I'm sure you are," Rey said quietly, failing to stifle her laugh. Poe glared at her harder, giving Rey a soft push so she crashed into Finn and he crashed into Rose like a domino effect.

"Hey, calm it down kids!" Finn cried, righting himself and Rose.

Rey was still struggling to hide her smile, biting her bottom lip as she shared a look with Poe. The annoyance in his brown eyes faded, and Rey raised her eyebrows at him. Poe minutely shook his head, letting out a tiny sigh as the group continued their walk.

They reached the student-friendly pub in minutes, finding a secluded table and sitting down with glee. The atmosphere of the place was still fresh even though Rey had been visiting since third year. Maybe it just felt special because it was the first Hogsmeade weekend of the school year, or because Rey had desperately missed the taste of butterbeer all summer. Either way, she was perfectly content to sit down in the bustling building with her group of friends seated around her.

Everyone ordered a butterbeer, waiting in anticipation for their drinks to arrive. Finn and Rose were seated next to each other, and they seemed to be lost in their own conversation. Rey couldn't help but notice the brightness in Poe's eyes fade as he watched them lean in to each other, smiling as one of them cracked a joke. She would have to talk to him about it later.

Finally the drinks arrived, and Rey savoured the feel of the icy mug in her hands before she sipped. Butterbeer was just as good as she remembered, if not even better. It was definitely tastier than the horrible sip of vodka she'd taken from Unkar's alcohol cabinet that summer, though Rey was well aware that butterbeer wasn't actually alcoholic. Still, she liked to believe it was, just so she felt a bit more grown up and independent. Visiting Hogsmeade as a sixth year was more enjoyable than it ever was before, because the teachers wandering around tended to focus on the younger kids who were more likely to get lost. No one bothered them except for the occasional mutual friend and they were free to explore and shop all day long.

"They better not come over here," Poe muttered under his breath, gesturing with his head towards the entrance of the pub. Finn and Rose trailed off from their conversation, leaning back to look down the aisle. Rey was against the window, and wasn't about to get up to see who they were looking at, so she just straightened and set her butterbeer down.

" _Aaaaand_ they're coming over here," Finn replied, turning back to the table and setting his jaw.

"Who?" Rey asked, but no one at the table answered as the group in question passed by their table.

The first person she saw was Hux, who looked awfully over-dressed for a weekend trip to Hogsmeade. _Suspicious, if you ask me_. His cold green eyes latched onto hers, and she could imagine his blood boiling beneath his pale skin.

"Scavenger," he muttered, scanning the others in the group distastefully before continuing past them. Rey flushed red and shifted her eyes down to her half-drunken glass of butterbeer, staring at it until her vision went blurry. Her throat was parched, but she wasn't so thirsty anymore.

"Hey Rey,"

Rey glanced up at the passing figure, who met her eyes for a fleeting moment before flickering back to his group. It was Ben Solo, wearing a black t-shirt, black jacket, and dark jeans. _Someone's emo_. Rey didn't want to admit to herself that she liked the way he looked in Muggle clothes. He looked like the stereotypical bad boy from every teen movie Rey had ever seen. She watched his back as he disappeared with the other Slytherins into a different area of the building.

Rey hadn't realized her friends had been silent the entire time until she met their eyes. Poe had an eyebrow raised, Rose was peacefully curious, and Finn was staring at her with a slightly agape mouth.

"Did... _Ben Solo_...just say...' _hey_ ' to you?" He asked slowly, as if he couldn't believe the words as they came out.

"Yeah." Rey licked her chapped lips, trying to ignore the hurt his words inflicted. "We're partners in Potions and Astronomy, remember?"

Finn blinked, still staring at her as if he'd witnessed some perplexing exchange. "I remember." He said quietly.

"Then can someone tell me what the problem is?" Rey asked, feeling her face flush red. She pressed the back of her hand against her cheek, leaning back in her chair. "Please?"

"It's just... _odd_ , okay?" Poe answered. "He's literally never talked to you outside of class until _right_ now."

Rey shifted in her seat, picking up her glass of butterbeer. She felt herself getting irritated, through she didn't know why. "Actually, he checked if I was okay after that whole Potions fiasco this week," she retorted, taking a sip to hide her face.

Poe's eyebrows raised even higher on his forehead. "And you were planning on telling us this _when_?"

"Maybe I don't want you knowing every detail of my life, _Poe_ , have you ever thought of that?" Rey snapped.

He shut his mouth, shifting his eyes away from Rey and onto the scratched wooden table. Rey breathed through her nose, also flickering her eyes away. Finn and Rose were silent or shocked or both, sharing obvious glances at each other.

"I'm sorry," Rey murmured, pushing her glass to the centre of the table. "I think I just need to walk around for awhile."

Finn smiled sadly, more a grimace than anything. "Do you need to talk?"

Rey sighed silently, shaking her head.  "I'll see you guys later."

Finn gave her a look, but Rey ignored it, standing and walking out of the three broomsticks with an aching heart.

Rey found herself wishing it was Winter, so she could wrap herself up in her puffy blue winter coat and sulk as she trudged through the snow. The white snowflakes would catch on her eyelashes and the below freezing temperature would make her face numb and flushed. Instead, Rey was forced to walk awkwardly alone through the streets of Hogsmeade with the sun beating down on her shoulders. At least she wore a white shirt instead of a black one.

Rey, lost with no direction, decided to go to Honeydukes to waste some time. She didn't plan on sulking around all day by herself, but she needed some time to collect her thoughts before she flipped off on her friends again.

The glass door chimed as Rey pushed it open, and the sweet smell of candy filled her nose. Honeydukes was usually filled to the brim with annoying third years, but today it was empty of any younger kids. Their permission forms must not have been signed yet.

Rey forced herself to smile at the cashier behind the counter, walking past him and down one of the small aisles. The candy shop looked like multiple rainbows had exploded inside of it, every colour imaginable represented in the jars of sweets that lined the shelves and walls. Rey felt the back of her pants for some money, but there weren't any pockets. _Stupid leggings_. She hadn't brought any money with her. She'd never even paid for her butterbeer, just got triggered and left the bill for her friends.

Rey sighed at the thought, running a hand through her hair. _Today was not her day, was it?_ Obviously she'd pay them back when she got back to the castle, but she still felt shitty. They were probably pissed and talking about her right now. _What am I even doing here?_ Rey stared blankly at a pyramid of purple chocolate frog boxes for a few moments before turning away.

And crashing right into a tall, hard, body.

"Oh, sorry," Rey mumbled, taking a step backwards to see the face of the person she'd just rammed herself into like an idiot. She frowned up at Ben, trying to make sense of the situation in her head. His hand was placed lightly on her shoulder to steady her, and Rey felt numb as he removed it once she was standing. His all-black get up stuck out like a sore-thumb in the candy shop. It was almost funny. "What are you doing here?"

He quirked a dark brow and tilted his head, a smirk gracing his lips. Rey found herself hating it when he looked at her like she was a child. "This is a public place, you know?"

Rey momentarily closed her eyes, huffing. He was so annoying. "Fine, okay, see you later Ben." She said quickly, escaping past him and pushing open the glass door of Honeydukes without holding it open behind her. When she heard the door close behind her and then open moments later, Rey froze as she stepped onto the sidewalk.

Ben appeared beside her, and Rey looked up at him incredulously. "What are you doing?" She asked again.

"Finding out if you're okay," he answered, running a hand through his hair. When Rey didn't make a move to respond he asked, softer, "Are you?"

"I'm fine." Rey replied, clenching her jaw at the immature anger she was letting slip through. "I'm fine," she repeated, in a lighter voice. "Can you please stop following me?"

Ben's eyes hardened into stone, staring at her until Rey thought she would break under their weight. "Gladly," he replied, turning on his heel and walking away as if their short conversation had never happened.

Rey sighed, taking a few steps towards him. "Ben, wait,"

"What?" He snapped, not bothering to stop walking. His angry strides were ridiculously long, and Rey almost had to jog to keep up with him. She had a fleeting thought that she shouldn't be around him when he was angry, but it was too late to back down now.

"I'm sorry, okay? I appreciate your... whatever you're doing, but I don't need you consoling me like I'm just some emotional girl. I can deal with stuff on my own."

Ben abruptly stopped walking, and Rey had to awkwardly slow down and turn to face him from a few paces ahead. "I know you can," He said lowly.

Rey blinked at him, suddenly uncomfortable with his full attention. He always looked at her so oddly, like she were the only thing in the universe that existed. "Um...okay?"

Ben's eyes shifted off to something behind her, and Rey turned to see what it was. Poe and Finn were walking towards them, twenty feet down the road. The expressions on their faces were clear as day when they saw who Rey was talking to. Poe quickened his pace, stopping beside her and lightly touching her shoulder.

"Rey, are you alright?" He asked in a hushed voice, giving Ben a dirty look. _No wonder Ben thought they were a thing.._. Rey shrugged off his hand.

"Why does everyone care so much?" She sighed in exasperation.

Finn arrived, glancing uneasily between Rey and Ben. "...Everyone?"

"Not important," Rey muttered to him. "Are you going back to the castle?"

"Yeah," Finn replied, shifting his gaze up to Ben and then back to her. "Uh, we'll catch you later, I guess."

"I need to go find Hux anyways," Ben interjected, already starting to walk backwards. _Was he desperate to escape our conversation this entire time?_ His eyes latched onto Rey's as he backed away and she felt herself shiver beneath them. "See you on Monday,"

"Bye," She murmured, forcing herself to turn her back to him and face her friends. They looked completely blank, silently standing in a circle and sharing glances between each other.

"I'm not even going to ask," Poe muttered, firmly sticking his hands in his jean pockets.

Rey flickered her gaze downwards to the cobblestone street, kicking at an uneven stone with the toe of her shoe. "Where's Rose? You guys ditch her?"

Finn answered her with an awkwardly calm and even voice. "She's with some of her Hufflepuff friends."

Rey nodded, pressing her lips together. _When did she become so awkward? Why did she feel uncomfortable being open with her friends?_

"Lets go back to the castle, then," she said.

***

Rey honestly didn't know what was the matter with her.

This year was supposed to be perfect. She was chosen as a Prefect, she was going to be Ravenclaw Seeker, and she was in all N.E.W.T classes. _So why was everything going so wrong?_

All of Rey's problems seemed to stem from a certain group of people: the Slytherins. Snoke and his humiliation, Hux and his harassment, and Ben and his...

Ben. He was the reason she'd gotten all irritated at Poe and snapped at him at The Three Broomsticks. Poe had every right to be curious about Rey's sudden relations with the Slytherin Prefect, yet she'd gotten angry anyways. Poe, Rey and Finn were supposed to be the unstoppable trio, but right now Rey felt like a third wheel in their friendship. _Was this how normal friendships worked?_ It was times like these that Rey cursed herself for not having enough experience in the matter. She didn't know if friends were supposed to argue all the time, because Finn and Poe were the first friends she'd ever had, and it wasn't like Rey had anyone at home to ask for advice, either.

Her relationship with Ben was even more perplexing. Was _he_ her friend? She'd said they weren't in the astronomy tower, and Ben had agreed, but that felt more like a swapping of insults than a serious statement. Rey felt like he was a friend, a different kind of friend. She felt a strange need to defend him whenever Poe or Finn said anything bad about him or the Slytherins. Rey never defended the Slytherins. Yet Ben was...different.

"Stop it," Rey whispered to herself, lightly banging her forehead against one of the bannisters of her four-poster bed. She was pacing the empty sixth year Ravenclaw's dormitory as she thought about the day. It was dinner right now, but Rey had chickened out on going. She didn't feel like having to talk to Finn or Poe or even Rose again today, not after the multiple incidents in Hogsmeade. Avoiding them was immature, sure, but Rey didn't care. She wanted to prevent as many awkward conversations from taking place as possible.

Rey glanced over at the clock on the wall. Dinner would be over soon, and her stomach was rumbling just thinking about how she hadn't eaten or drank anything since the half-butterbeer she had earlier. Rey sighed in defeat, pulling on a hoodie and leaving the dormitory. She would eat as quickly as possible at the Ravenclaw table and then leave before anyone saw her. Rey was used to going unnoticed.

***


	8. Chapter Eight- Conundrums

" _Alohomora_ ," Rey murmured, moving her wand in a backwards 's' motion above her smartphone. The fingerprint-smudged screen stayed black, her own reflection staring back at her. She repositioned herself on her bed so so she was sitting cross-legged, gripping her wand in her right hand. " _Alohomora_ ," Rey repeated, keeping her eyes glued to the screen. When nothing happened, she sighed to herself and scribbled down the spell name in her journal. A dozen or so other failed spells were already written down on the page in cheap blue ink. Rey was determined to get her phone to work, and she would go through every spell she could to get it to turn on. She suspected this wouldn't be happening any time soon, as the teachers were too gifted with magic to let such a task be easy.

Rey gave up with her spells and shoved the unresponsive iPhone back into her night-table. If all of her friends could live without one, then she could to, though Rey still didn't know how Finn and Poe did it. She wasn't even sure if they _knew_ what cellphones were. Either way, it was probably for the best if Rey took a break from the Internet, although she desperately missed the ability to look something up whenever she pleased.

Just as Rey started descending the stairs of the Ravenclaw dormitory, she remembered that she had plans with Finn and Poe today. _Shit_. She reluctantly returned to the dormitory, scooping all of her textbooks and papers into a bag. They were supposed to meet in the library after lunch to help Rey work on a potions assignment she'd been having trouble with. _Would they still show up after yesterday?_ Rey still needed to finish the assignment, so she figured she may as well go to the library to work anyways, if her friends were there or not. She combed her hair and tied it back into a ponytail, quickly applying some makeup so she didn't look like a sleep-deprived banshee.

The library at Hogwarts was at least four times bigger than the tiny public library where Rey lived. It was a massive room, filled with thousands of books on every magical subject imaginable. The rustic smell of old paper filled her nose as she pushed open the heavy wooden doors to enter. It always made Rey feel like she was about to sneeze, but the old books in the school library were the only resource she had.

She quietly moved through the aisles, heading to a secluded table at the back which had been their usual meeting spot since first year. Rey peeked through a gap in a charms bookshelf, and sure enough, Finn and Poe were seated in two of the four big green armchairs, two empty seats across from them. They were chatting quietly, but Rey couldn't hear anything they were saying, and she sure as hell couldn't read lips.

She watched them blankly for a moment before snapping herself back to reality. _Suck it up, Rey. They're your best friends_. Rey lightly cleared her throat before stepping out of the aisle and walking over to them. Finn looked up from his book first, immediately breaking out into a relieved smile when he saw her.

"Hey, peanut!" He greeted. "I thought you'd forgotten."

Poe flinched at Finn's sudden burst of sound, looking past him to Rey. His face was emotionless for a moment before a small smile twitched at his mouth. Rey smiled back.

"I kind of did," She admitted, collapsing into one of the comfortable armchairs across the table, in front of Poe. Rey was fairly light, yet she still sunk down multiple inches in the seat. She'd fallen asleep more than once in that same position. "Oh! Before I forget..." She dug around in the back pocket of her skinny jeans, pulling out two silver sickles and sliding them across the centre of the wooden table, between her friends.

Poe glanced down at the wizarding world coins, keeping his hands on the pages of his book. "Normally I wouldn't complain about getting free money,” he started. “But why are you paying us?"

"It's for the butterbeer," Rey explained, pushing the coins further towards them. Poe and Finn shared a look, and Rey found herself scowling. "Guys, I'm _right_ here."

They snapped out of it, and Finn slid the money back to her. "You don't need to pay us back, Rey. It was just a drink."

Rey bit her lip, hesitantly placing her fingertips on the faces of the coins. She didn't like owing people. Even her friends. "But-"

"Rey, keep your money." Poe insisted firmly, and she knew he wasn't going to allow her to do any different. She still felt bad about snapping at him yesterday, so she kept her mouth shut and slid the money back into her pocket.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," she said, clutching her hands together.

Poe smiled. "Rey, it's fine. I shouldn't have been so nosy."

She opened her mouth, and then found herself closing it when no response came to mind. It wasn't everyday Poe Dameron said he shouldn't have been so _himself_.

"Thanks, Poe." Rey said. "But you weren't even being nosy, it was just... I don't know, I got defensive for no reason."

Finn and Poe shared another look, and Rey wished she could know whatever it was they were silently communicating to each other.

Finn looked back towards her. "It's okay. So you needed help with your Potions assignment?"

"Oh, yeah," Rey answered, pulling out her potions textbook and papers. "I can't find the answer to this question anywhere."

She underlined it with her pen and turned the paper around so they could read it. Finn just blinked at the question, and Poe made a weird duck-face as he read it.

" _Yeahhhh_ , that's a no," Poe said, leaning back in his chair.

" _Poe_! Come on, I need help," Rey whined, shifting her eyes onto Finn. He met her pleading gaze with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, Rey, I don't know how to do it either," he said. “Did you check the textbook?”

”Of course I did,” Rey replied, leaning all the way back in her chair with a groan and staring up at the ceiling. " _You_ _guys_ , what am I supposed to _do?"_

"Maybe you should ask...  _Potions Master Solo_ ," Poe suggested quietly.

Rey sprung up in her seat like she'd been electrocuted. "Sorry, _what_?"

"He's your partner in class, right?" Poe asked, though he already knew the answer. "And it seems like you're friends now, so maybe you should ask him."

Rey violently shook her head. "No, no, no, you guys don't understand. I can't do that."

"It's a pretty normal thing to ask someone," Finn added, agreeably nodding at Poe.

Rey sighed, fiddling with her papers. She hadn't planned on telling them about it, but it was time to come clean. "He offered to help me last week, but I didn't accept, and we argued, and then he revoked his offer and said I could fail Potions for all he cared."

Rey kept her eyes down on her paper for as long as possible until she was forced to look up at them. Finn and Poe both looked frozen in time, no expressions on their faces. Poe finally let out a long breath, tapping the tabletop with his fingers.

"Wow. Didn't know that," Poe said. "And that's fine," he added quickly.

Finn looked up at Rey, giving her one of those typical Hufflepuff smiles. "I guess you're kind of screwed then, Peanut."

Rey tiredly hung her head in her hands as Poe took a sip from a bottle on the table, proceeding to choke moments later.

"Poe, please try not to asphyxiate in the library," Rey chided sarcastically, dropping her hands as he quickly recovered. Poe wiped stray water droplets from his mouth, giving Rey a satisfied look.

"The heavens have heard our pleas!" He cried loudly, causing Rey and Finn to promptly shush him down before the librarian took notice. Poe leaned in closer to her across the table, still looking smug. "I just saw Ben Solo _himself_ enter the library."

"I can’t go crawling back to him!" Rey said, glancing over her shoulder. Ben was no where in sight. "Like, that is _such_ a bitch move."

"Just apologize for bothering him, and ask about the one question." Poe insisted. "What else are you going to do?"

Rey kept her mouth shut, weighing the options in her mind. What else _could_ she do? Guess the answer and have Snoke humiliate her in class again? She sighed in defeat, giving Poe an exasperated look.

"Fine. I'll do it." Rey said flatly. "And if it makes me look stupid, I'm _definitely_ blaming it on you."

Poe grinned, nudging Finn with his elbow. "That's our girl. _Talking to boys_ ,"

Rey ignored him, looking behind her again. "Where did he go?" She asked.

"Believe it or not, the Muggle Studies section," Poe snickered.

Rey pulled herself out of the deep chair, grabbing her paper and a pencil. "Wish me luck," She droned, not at all excited for this adventure like they were.

"Just be nice!" Finn told her. "Be yourself,"

"Guys, it's not like I'm asking him out," Rey told them stubbornly, biting her tongue as she left the safety of their secluded table. She slowly winded her way along the many aisles of books, reading the section labels as she went. She wouldn't have expected Ben to be in the Muggle Studies section either. It was quite a boring class for someone who'd lived as one for most of their life, so Rey hadn't bothered taking it after it wasn't compulsory anymore. Ben was probably just trying to do some extra research for an assignment.

Rey really didn't want to ask Ben for help. She hated being a nuisance to people, and that's what she thought she was to him. _Why should he even help her?_ He'd so kindly offered, and she'd just asked him why and told him they weren't friends. Hopefully he would consider helping her out this one time.

She reached the Muggle Studies section, pausing outside of the aisle. Rey smoothed out her ponytail, licking her lips and taking a look at the paper in her hands. She didn't even know why she felt so awkward. It was just Ben... Ben with the strong gaze and deep voice and typical arrogance of an entitled pureblood Slytherin.

Rey turned into the aisle, spotting him about halfway down. He was wearing similar clothes to yesterday, except for a black hoodie, which did _not_ make him appear very approachable. He was holding a thick book in his hands, looking down at it and reading. Rey gulped, pretending to look at the books on the shelves as she approached him.

She was about ten feet away, and Ben was still totally engrossed in the book he was reading. He looked totally focused, and Rey almost felt bad for interrupting him.

"Ben?" She called softly.

He quickly looked up from his book, closing it as he saw her. His face was blank as his gaze traveled up and down her body before meeting her eyes. At least he didn’t look angry.

"Rey," Ben slowly moved towards her, book still in his hands. His eyes never left hers. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Rey temporarily forget the point of why'd she'd come to talk to him as he stopped in front of her, getting drawn in by his dark eyes. "Oh, I was just wondering..." She glanced down at her worksheet, reading the question over. "If you wouldn't mind, uh, helping me out with one of the questions from the Potions assignment from Friday?"

Rey pressed her lips together as she waited for Ben's answer. _Would he blatantly reject her? Make fun of her for being stupid?_ He blinked at her, glancing down at the paper she was holding.

"You want my help?" He asked. It was so quick Rey couldn't tell if he asked if arrogantly or curiously.

"I just don't understand one of the questions," she replied, watching his face. _Maybe if I give him an ego boost he'll be more inclined to help me_. "So...“ She sighed lightly. “Yes, I'd like your help."

A smirk twitched at his lips, and Ben took the paper from her in one swift movement, placing it over the cover of his book. "Which question?" He asked, eyes already skimming the page.

"Eleven," Rey answered. "About the original reason behind the potion's creation?"

Ben nodded, though it didn't seem like he was actually listening to her. His eyes got kind of glossed over when he was focused on something, which was happening now. She saw that look a lot in Potions class. Rey had to admit, intelligence was attractive, and Ben was smarter than he let on. A few moments later he glanced back up at her, a new brightness in his eyes.

"It was made to be a calming potion, for people in stressful positions like doctors, or policemen or whatever. Obviously it had the opposite effect." Ben seamlessly explained. "And don't use 'students' as an example, because children didn't go to school when it was created."

"I could've used some of that," Rey said, resisting a grin when she saw Ben actually smile and sort of laugh through his nose at her comment. It wasn't a full blown tooth-smile, because her joke really wasn't even funny, but it looked much nicer on him than a smirk. It lit up his face, but the emotion only lasted for a moment before he was blank again. Rey was still soaking in the plethora of information he'd just given her. "Wow, I have _no_ idea how you knew all that.”

Ben shrugged, eyes glinting. "What can I say, I know my stuff," he said, holding the page back out to her.

"I'm sure you do," Rey replied with a hint of sarcasm as she took it back. Her eyes flitted back to his, and she felt the stupid desire to be nice to him. "Thanks, Ben." She said sincerely, looking up into his eyes. "I appreciate it."

He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound, that resonated through Rey's whole body. "It's no problem,"

They looked at each other for a few moments. Rey didn't understand what he saw in her, why he admired her with that strange glint in his eyes. She didn't know why she was looking at him either. Rey broke the peaceful silence, glancing away as she remembered Finn and Poe. "I, uh, better get back to my friends."

The brightness in his eyes seemed to dim a bit, but Rey swore it was her imagination. "Okay," Ben said, glancing down at his book. "I have work to do anyways."

"Right," Rey nodded, but her body didn't move an inch. "Thanks again," she said, forcing herself to back away from him.

"See you tomorrow," He said, clearing his throat as she turned away. Rey broke out into a grin, clutching her papers against her chest as she almost skipped back to Finn and Poe. She probably looked stupid, but she didn't care. She was oddly happy and no one was going to burst her bubble.

Rey practically jumped into the armchair when she got back to the table, smiling giddily despite how hard she tried to hide it.

Poe raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Okay, _what_ happened? Did he kiss you or something?"

Rey felt her face flush red, and the smile instantly fell from her face. "Uh, no." She said quickly, trying very hard not to imagine Ben pressing her against the bookshelves. "He, uh, gave me the answer and wasn't a pretentious asshole about it."

Finn smiled. "That's great, Rey."

Rey blew out a long breath, setting her work down on the table. "Yeah," she replied, clearing her throat.

"Are you _sure_ he didn't kiss you? You seem flustered," Poe said, looking at Rey gingerly.

"Nothing happened, okay?" Rey insisted, pressing her palms flat against the surface of the table.

Finn and Poe both looked at her as if she was lying about eating the last slice of cake with the frosting smudged all over her face. Rey took a deep breath and started writing the response to the question before she forgot what Ben had told her. She was distracted and flushed the entire time as her brain imagined him crashing his lips against hers, his hand on her waist, his deep voice in her ear. It was very embarrassing, and Rey repeatedly pushed the thoughts away. It was crazy. It was a dream. Ben definitely did _not_ like her that way, and she didn't even like him like that way. _Or did she?_

Rey wasn't sure of her feelings. She'd never had a crush before, so she didn't know what one felt like. All she knew was that she felt a deep pull within her, a magnetic attraction if you will, to the mysterious Slytherin boy she'd met on the Hogwarts Express five years ago.


	9. Chapter Nine- A typical day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t believe we’ve passed 1000 hits! I know it’s not a lot compared to other stories, but for someone writing their first fic, it makes me happy and grateful:) So thank you so much for reading and commenting! 
> 
> I’m sorry if this seems like a filler chapter, because it kind of is. Some interesting plot stuff is coming up in the next update though!

As Rey walked into Potions class on Monday, finished assignment in hand, she had a fleeting thought that Ben may have given her the wrong answer to that question when she'd asked him in the library.

It wasn't a far stretch; he was a Slytherin, and they were known to be cunning and manipulative. He could've told her anything, and she would've written it down like the gullible person she was. Rey didn't like being vulnerable, especially with someone who could so easily take advantage of her. When she sat down in her seat beside Ben, she turned to him with the most serious face she could muster. He glanced over at her before she even started speaking, and his brows slightly drew together at her blank expression.

"You _did_ give me the right answer yesterday, right?" Rey asked slowly, watching his expression very carefully.

Ben narrowed his eyes. _Maybe she'd offended him by being untrusting?_ "Of course," he answered flatly.

Rey wanted to be suspicious, but she found herself trusting his every word.  
"Alright," She murmured, standing from her seat and placing the assignment on Snoke's wooden desk. He looked down at it with dissatisfaction, but Rey gave him a friendly smile anyway. If everything went to plan it would get her a 100%, and raise her grade after the failed potion from last week. Rey left his desk before he could critique her grammar, returning to her seat.

Ben was still watching her, though it wasn't with admiration. "Don't you trust me?" He asked, tone not completely serious.

Rey glanced at him, keeping her eyes ahead and on the board. "No," she answered honestly, sensing her face flush red. "Not completely, at least."

Ben scoffed, running a hand through his hair. It looked wavier than usual. "Not completely? That's reassuring."

Rey couldn't tell if he was genuinely hurt by her answer or not. It wasn't her intention. She was just being honest. "Maybe one day," she told him, biting her lip as he cocked his head.

His eyes flickered down to her mouth, his own lips forming a smirk. "That's a bad habit, you know."

Rey froze, suddenly self-conscious of every detail of her face as his eyes shifted up to hers. She quickly released her lip, smoothing out her skirt for something to do with her hands. "Is it?"

Before Ben could respond Snoke stood from his desk chair and started droning to the class about that day's lesson. Rey shifted uncomfortably in her chair, heart inexplicably racing in her chest as Ben turned his head away from her to listen to Snoke's lecture. _When did she turn into such a typical girl?_ Poe would call her love-sick, which Rey would punch him in the shoulder for. Finn would be slightly nicer, maybe suggest she had a crush, which Rey would also outright deny. She was too proud to admit vulnerability, even to her two closest friends. They were guys. They wouldn't understand.

***

"Maz? Is it possible to transfigure myself into Ed Sheeran?" Poe called out to the transfiguration professor while waving his wand at the caged rat in front of him.

The professor gave Poe an exasperated look from across the classroom, hands on her hips. “You _know_ I don't know who that is, child, but I'm going to say ' _no_ '."

"Justin Bieber? Bruno Mars? Drake?"

Rey lowered her wand with a confused expression on her face, turning to Poe with a quirked brow. "Do you even know who any of those people are?"

He glanced at her, shamelessly shaking his head. "Nope. Just heard Rose talking about them the other day.”

He returned to trying out the spells written on the board, muttering the words under his breath. Rey re-read the foreign words, silently mouthing them to herself. Just as she was about to cast the spell when Poe spoke again.

"That girl never stops talking," he said under his breath.

Rey set down her wand. "Poe, you're distracting me,"

He clenched his jaw, muttering the spell again and ignoring her. Sparks flew from his wand, but did nothing to the rat. Rey picked up her own wand again, gripping it between her fingers.

" _Geminio_ ," she whispered, and heartbeats later a second brown rat identical to the first appeared in the small cage in front of her. Rey broke out into a proud smile, nudging Poe with her elbow. "Look, I did it!"

He glanced at her cage with a sour look on his face.

Rey frowned at him. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"No, no, nothing happened," Poe answered quickly, loosening the gold and red tie from around his neck as he cleared his throat. "It's nothing,"

"If you say so," Rey said, looking at him grimly. There was obviously something bothering him, but Rey knew better than anyone not to push it further. She shifted in her seat, changing the subject. "When do you have quidditch practice?"

Poe groaned loudly, and Rey didn't bother stifling her laugh. "Tonight," he answered, rolling his eyes. "I am _ready_ to die."

"What happened to " _quidditch is the best_ ", “ _I love quidditch_ ”?" Rey asked with a smirk, glancing down at the Captain's badge on his robes.

Poe gritted his teeth. "Quidditch is the best when you don't have a shit team,"

Rey grimaced, turning her attention back to her twin rats. "But you're the one who chose the players,"

"And everyone sucks!" Poe exclaimed. "Except for me, of course."

"Of course," Rey replied, trying out a different spell on her rats. It caused them both to bond together into a big fat rat with two heads, and she immediately recoiled away from it, chair scraping against the floor. "Ewww, Poe!" She squealed, cringing at the amalgamation the spell had created.

Poe looked over at her cage and flinched, shifting his chair away a few inches. "I'm calling the animal abuse hotline." 

Rey shook her head at him and raised her hand high in the air, waiting for Maz to come over and rescue her.

***

"Rose? Do you know how to get IPhones to work in Hogwarts?" Rey asked the Hufflepuff girl while they were in charms class together. The other girl shook her head with a sigh.

"Nope. I've been trying to get my phone to work since fourth year, and nothing's worked."

Rey clicked her tongue. "Same. I feel really basic for saying this, but I really miss using the Internet."

Rose laughed, nodding her head in agreeance. "I've been trying to educate Finn on all the modern lingo, but he's hopeless." Rey noticed the girl's face lit up like a lightbulb whenever she talked about him.

"I've been hounding him to get a cell-phone for the longest time," Rey added. Finn and Poe _were_ hopeless. They refused to become typical 'Muggles' and get smartphones _or_ computers. Rey would convince them, one day. _How else would they keep in touch?_ _Letters?_ She didn't think so.

"You come from a non-wizarding family?" Rey asked Rose while writing the answer to a question on her worksheet.

"No, actually. My family's just really cool about technology and everything. My sister and I are pretty lucky."

"Yeah," Rey agreed. "I had to beg my foster guardian to get me a phone. _And_ I had to pay for it, of course."

Rose hummed, doodling on her worksheet. Professor Calrissian happened to be walking past their desk at the same time, and gave Rose and her paper a pointed look. The girl immediately dropped her pencil, smiling sheepishly.

"Stay focused, ladies. I can hear you from across the class," he chided, though he had a typical charming smile on his face.

"Sorry, Professor," Rey and Rose said in unison, stifling smiles as he walked away.

***

"Who can tell me what today is?" Professor Skywalker asked his defence against the dark arts class. His blue eyes scanned the silent class, as if searching for the answer.

Luke's eyes flitted over Rey, and for a moment she thought he was going to call on her until he said, "Armitage?" Rey let out a silent breath of relief.

"Monday?" Hux answered sarcastically, causing the class to erupt in snickers. Professor Skywalker glared at him, letting out a tired sigh.

"That was _not_ the answer I was looking for," he chided. "What is today the anniversary of?"

A lightbulb went off in Rey's head as she remembered Professor Ackbar mentioning something about an anniversary earlier that morning. It was her first period of the day, so Rey rarely paid much attention to his long lectures, but today she happened to remember. She hesitantly raised her hand in the air, seeing no one else was going to volunteer. Professor Skywalker's face practically lit up when he saw her.

"Yes, Rey?"

Everyone was staring at her now. Rey lightly cleared her throat, straightening in her chair. "The end of the Empire?" She responded hesitantly, more like a question than an answer.

Professor Skywalker smiled approvingly at her. "Yes, correct. And what kind of magic was the empire known for using?" He addressed that question to the whole class.

"Dark magic," almost every student droned, all too familiar with Professor Skywalker's animated talks on the history of the Empire even though he didn't teach history class.

"Correct. Sixteen years ago today the Resistance restored order to the galaxy."

Professor Skywalker continued to talk for another twenty minutes straight. On a normal occasion Rey would've loved to tune him out, but if she knew one thing, it was that Professor Skywalker never wasted their time for nothing. He would end up giving them a pop-quiz, or an assignment, so it was best if she paid attention. Sure enough, he handed out a worksheet after his speech that was due before they left class.

Rey wrote as fast as she could, struggling to remember the little details Skywalker had mentioned. Her hand was aching by the time she finished the third question fifteen minutes later, and there were twelve total. _Hurry up, Rey._ When she started on the ninth question, she heard a chair scrape against the floor behind her. _Who the hell was done already?_

Ben walked past her, dropping his worksheet on Skywalker’s desk almost lazily. Rey met his eyes as he walked back to his desk, resisting a glare as he had the audacity to smirk at her. _Asshole_. She didn't have the privilege of having such information drilled into her head since birth like he had. This was all like a long family story to him. _Both_ of his parents, his uncle, _and_ his grandfather had been involved with the end of the Empire. _So unfair._..

Rey finished her worksheet in the next ten minutes, reading over her answers before handing it in to Professor Skywalker. He smiled as he read over her work.

"I appreciate your participation in class today, Rey." He said, looking up at her.

"Oh, thanks." Rey said back, caught off-guard. _Since when did teachers thank you for answering questions in their classes?_

"You should do it more often. You have one of the highest grades in this class, you know,"

Rey blinked at him. "Really? I do?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. _This is news to me._

Professor Skywalker chuckled at her surprise. "Yes, Rey, you do. Don't be afraid of putting yourself out there. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering." Rey blinked at him again. "At least, that's what my defence against the dark arts teacher told _me_ ," Professor Skywalker said, chuckling to himself at the memory.

Rey just nodded along, shifting away from his desk. "I'll try my best, Professor."  
Skywalker nodded with a smile, and Rey turned to walk back to her desk. Her step faltered for a moment as she saw Ben, Hux, and Phasma's eyes all frozen on her. They all looked away once she met their eyes, but Rey had seen enough to know that they were listening. _Slytherins_.

"Don't you know how rude eavesdropping is?" She asked them once back in her chair, glancing over her shoulder.

Hux glared at her, and Rey already knew she had made a mistake in provoking him. "Don't you know how annoying it is being a pretentious teacher's pet?" He snarled back, angrily scribbling an answer on his worksheet.

Rey huffed, covertly flipping him off before turning around. She was _not_ a teacher's pet, far from it, but Hux would pull out all the stops to push her buttons. Rey still had no idea how Ben could be best friends with him.

***

The lens of the telescope dug into her cheek as Rey squinted up at the tiny planets hanging in the black sky. It was kind of crazy how something so big just looked like a small, insignificant white dot. Rey pulled away from the telescope to finish filling in her worksheet, straightening and pressing her hands against her aching back.

"Your turn," she said to Ben, switching spots with him as he raised the height of the telescope so he wouldn't have to bend down as much. If he was having any astronomy problems before, they seemed to have disappeared. He hadn't asked her any more questions since their first day of class. Until now.

"Can I ask," Ben started, still peering through the telescope. "Why you and Hux are mortal enemies?"

Rey stifled a laugh. "That's actually a great way to put it,"

Ben glanced at her. "Don't change the subject,"

"I'm not." Rey retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Anyway, I don't really know. I think we just...share a mutual hatred for each other."

Ben raised his eyebrows at her, straightening away from the telescope. "That's actually horrible. He's not that bad, once you get to know him.”

Rey pressed her lips together to crush down the sarcastic laugh bubbling inside of her. "Not that bad? He's been harassing me since first year!"

"And from what I've seen, you haven't been the nicest to him either."

Rey gaped at him. "Are you serious? _I_ am the victim here, not him." She shook her head in disbelief, letting out a sigh. "I get you're just trying to stand up for your friend and everything, but I think he can handle it on his own."

"I was just curious," Ben replied, looking down at the floor. It seemed he had more in his mind that he wasn’t saying aloud. "When do you have prefect duties?"

Rey gave him a look for blatantly changing the subject, but decided it was for the best if they stopped arguing about Hux. "Wednesdays," she answered. "You?"

"Thursdays," Ben said, and Rey felt a small pang of disappointment grow within her.

"Ah," She said, fiddling with her sheet. _They saw each other too much in class anyways. Any more time together and he would probably drive her crazy. Right?_

Rey shook away the thoughts as she crossed the astronomy tower classroom to hand in her worksheet.


	10. Chapter Ten-The Restricted Section

Rey stalked through the empty halls of Hogwarts Castle as inconspicuously as she could, holding her wand out in front of her. She'd casted the _lumos_ spell, blanketing the stone tiles in front of her in a soft, white light. Rey was fulfilling her prefect duty, on the hunt for rule-breaking students exploring the castle after curfew. It was only nine 'o clock in the evening, but school rules considered that illegal. Rey wondered if any students even bothered to break the rules anymore. As a first or second year it was something one would do on a dare, but now, sleep was a blessing.

The halls were eerily silent, for which Rey was glad and also apprehensive about. She didn't really want to reprimand anyone, or catch anyone doing something they shouldn't be, yet at the same time she didn't want to be walking around in the dark alone either. The ancient castle was creepy when it was barely lit and silent.

To distract herself from the darkness, Rey reflected on the prefect meeting from earlier in the week. It'd been fairly boring, except for the occasional times her and Ben met gazes. It was always odd when she caught someone looking at her, and even odder when they both happened to look at each other at the same time. It felt...special, but Rey was still confused over her feelings. She needed to talk to someone about it, get an outside opinion on the situation.

Rey's shoes squeaked against the stones as she came to a sudden stop, the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoing from around the corner. She silently swore, gripping her wand tighter in her outstretched hand as she continued walking down the corridor. _Please don't be a ghost, please don't be a ghost, please don't be a-_

"AHH!" The group of children in front of her loudly shreiked as they were bathed in Rey's wandlight. They froze like baby deers caught in headlights, and Rey felt just as shaken as her heart raced in her chest.

She straightened, studying the three children before her. "What are you doing?" She asked. The children shared glances, and Rey noticed that they were all from different houses. "What year are you?"

The kids nudged the ravenclaw boy in the group to answer, seeing as Rey was his house's prefect. "Uh, second year, Miss," he mumbled.

Rey held back a smile at all of their nervousness. "Are you aware it's past curfew?"  
The kids nodded, keeping their heads down. Rey sighed, lowering her wand so they weren't as blinded. "Listen, I'll let you go this one time, but only if you promise to never do this again. Understand?"

The kids feverishly nodded, obviously relieved they wouldn't be getting in trouble.

"Oh, and for curiosity, what were you all doing?" Rey asked, still struggling to understand why a Ravenclaw, a Hufflepuff, and a Slytherin would be out together at night.

The Ravenclaw boy spoke again, more level this time. "We were in the library, Miss. We actually left because we saw someone else in there, in the restricted section."

Rey frowned. "Someone else? Like, a teacher?"

The kids shared another look between each other. "No, Miss. We think it was an older student," the boy answered. "Can we go back to our dormitories now?"

Rey was even more confused, but nodded anyways. "Yes, go...Don't let me catch you out past curfew again."

"Thank you, Miss." the boy said, practically running in the direction of Ravenclaw tower as the students dispersed down the corridor. Rey started absentmindedly walking towards the library, dimming the light of her wand.

_Who would be in the library at this time? And in the restricted section?_

It must've been a teacher, or a librarian re-shelving books after-hours. Or no-one. Kids saw things that weren't there all the time, _right?_ Either way, Rey felt a pang of dread hit her stomach as she approached the library. Something definitely felt off.

Rey peered down both ends of the hall as she stood in front of the old library doors. This was her assigned corridor, so no other prefects would be in the area. Rey faced the door, staring at her reflection in the glass. She felt like her body was being torn in two separate directions. The Ravenclaw in Rey was encouraging her to find out who was in the library while simultaneously begging her to make the more logical decision and get a teacher, or just leave.

Rey blew out a long, steadying breath before carefully pushing open one of the heavy wooden doors. She slipped inside, manually closing it behind her so it didn't make a sound. This was a mistake. Rey knew it, and she repeated it to herself in her head as she silently moved through the deserted library.

All of the lights were off, and Rey whispered, " _Nox_ ," to diffuse her wand light. She could see the massive silhouettes of towering bookshelves around her, almost reaching the ceiling, but not the books inside. It was enough to see the silhouette of a person, if there truly was someone inside.

Rey spotted the familiar spot where she'd met Finn and Poe last weekend, trailing her hand over the velvety material of her usual armchair as she passed. Her flats padded softly against the carpet, barely making a sound. The only comfort Rey had was that she wouldn't get in trouble for doing this, if it was a teacher. _Hopefully_.

It wasn't long before she approached the restricted section. Rey had never even been in there before, because she never had a need to. The aisles were guarded by a thick rope  that Rey knew was made of red velvet from memory. It just looked black now, too dark to see any colours.

Rey held her breath as she stepped over it like a hurdle, holding one of the golden posts in place so she didn't knock it over. Once she crossed over to the restricted section, Rey smoothed down her skirt and gripped her wand tighter in her hand. She wasn't looking forward to this. Unlike the kids in the hall, being caught in the restricted section past curfew was not something she could bat an eye to. It was serious. Rey would have to report whoever it was, and she hated being a tattle-tail.

She silently cursed herself for not asking the kids for any more information. She had no idea where this person would be, or if they would even still be there. Rey shook her head to herself, realizing how crazy of an idea this was. How _stupid_ of an idea this was.

She continued down the aisle she was in, as quiet as a mouse and as agile as a cat. Something _definitely_ felt off. Rey stopped at the end of the aisle, slowly peering past the bookshelf. _Nothing_. She turned her head to check the other side of the restricted section, and her heart stopped beating as she saw the faintest white light in the distance, covered by a few thick bookshelves, but still visible through the cracks. Her mouth dropped and went dry, and Rey promptly licked her lips before biting them. _Why me?_

Rey swallowed the lump in her throat and winded through the bookshelves until she reached the aisle where she had seen the light. It was even clearer now, lightly pulsing and obviously coming from a wand. Rey bounced lightly on the balls of her feet, attempting to give herself the courage to bust whoever this was. _It wasn't too late to turn back._ In the end, Rey's curiosity got the best of her.

She slipped into the aisle, and instantly spotted a dark figure at the opposite end. She couldn't see their face, or even the colours of their school robes, just the small ball of light coming from their wand as they moved it along the bookshelves. The light stopped moving, and she saw the figure remove a book from the shelf. Rey neared them as quietly as she could, practicing defensive spells in her head in case the person tried to escape.

She took a shallow breath, clenching her wand. "Hey!" Rey called out, clear voice cracking through the tense silence of the library.

The figure's wand light flinched as they turned to her, and Rey gasped as she saw the illuminated face of the person she'd caught.

" _Ben_? What the hell?!" Rey exclaimed, looking around suspiciously as if she'd been caught on some stupid television show and was waiting for the reveal. "Why are you in here?"

He blinked back at her, and for a moment Rey thought he was going to make a break for it. But he didn't. He lowered his wand from where he'd been examining the bookshelf, dimming the light so she could barely see his face. "Keep your voice down," he murmured, just loud enough so she could hear.

Rey hesitantly walked closer to him, her brain spinning in a million different directions. This was the last scenario she would've expected. As she approached him she saw the darkness of his school robes, the forest green details of Slytherin House, and the metallic prefect's badge he wore over his heart. "What are you doing in here?" Rey whispered, trying to covertly peer at the title of the book he had tucked into his body.

"I could ask you the same," he whispered back, as tense as a board in front of her.

Rey inclined her head, giving him an exasperated look. "I'm on prefect duties. Some kids _saw you in here_ and I came to investigate."

Ben sighed, running a hand through his hair and almost elbowing Rey in the face in the darkness. He looked awfully stressed, and tired. He had dark circles under his eyes.

"Why are you in here?" Rey asked again, still struggling to understand the situation. _Perfect student Ben Solo caught in the restricted section after hours?_ It just didn't make sense.

" _Rey_ ," he breathed, and she felt herself shiver. She could see his eyes were pleading, even without much light. "Please don't report me."

He sounded so... _desperate_ , no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Ben was never desperate. Something was wrong. _He was doing something bad_. "Tell me why you're in here, Ben. I need to know." Rey insisted.

His gaze threatened to break her down, to make her crumble, but Rey was determined to know what was going on. _What was so important that Ben Solo resorted to breaking the rules for?_ He clenched his jaw, and Rey could envision the tiny wheels turning in his head as he thought of an excuse.

"I was... researching." He answered, cocking his head. "It's not important."

"I think it _is_ pretty important, Solo." Rey insisted, glancing down at the book he was doing a poor job of hiding. "What book is that?"

"Prefects are allowed in the restricted section, you know." Ben said quickly, glaring down at her as if she would be intimidated. "I'm not doing anything wrong here."

"If you don't want me to report you, show me the book," Rey said.

She saw Ben's eyes harden at her offer. He obviously would like to keep whatever it was he was doing a secret, but Rey wasn't going to forget about this. It was too suspicious.

After a few long moments he clenched his jaw and handed her the book that he was holding. It was made of old, black leather, and the yellowed pages felt like they were going to fall out of the binding any second as she took it in her hands. Rey read the title in her head, which was stamped into the leather with a fancy golden scripture.

_Secrets of the Dark Arts_.

Her stomach dropped to the floor, and the unmistakable feeling of dread returned. _Dark arts?_ She couldn't believe what she was seeing. _Ben reading about the dark arts?_ This wasn't good... Rey shifted her eyes up from the book and onto Ben, who at least looked a little guilty. His eyes were nervously searching hers, anticipating a reaction.

She saw him in a whole different light in that moment. He was a normal, rebellious teenager just like her. Maybe he was just _curious_ about the dark arts. Just because he was reading about it didn't mean he was doing the spells, _right_?

Rey glanced away from him, tracing the stamped title with her forefinger. She was curious as to what was inside, she really was, but she knew better. The dark arts were _evil, horrible, murderous_  spells and curses. She wasn't about to expose herself to such a thing. The temptation to use them might be too much for her to resist.

Rey wordlessly held out the book, immediately letting go once Ben took it back. She already felt tainted by the dark side just by touching the cover. She felt like she'd sinned, like someone would look at her face and see what she’d done.

Ben moved away from her to re-shelve the book, and Rey let her eyes drop to the carpet. Too many questions were whirling through her mind like a storm, crashing against each other and fighting for dominance. She couldn't understand anything, and she knew Ben wouldn't answer her questions. At least not yet.

Rey glanced up at a golden clock on the wall, breathing a silent sigh of relief as she saw the time. "My prefect duty's over. I-I need to go," She blurted, already moving away from him. It would be so easy for him to curse her, whip out his wand and whisper obliviate to erase her memory of the last ten minutes. 

Ben followed her, and she only walked faster. "Rey," he called, in a warning tone.

"I can't," she murmured, putting up a hand as she climbed over the velvet rope separating the restricted section from the rest of the library. This was _too_ much for one day.

Rey left the library as fast as she could, mind still spinning, heart pounding, body tense. She had a feeling she'd just been wrapped up in something bad.


	11. Chapter Eleven- Distractions

Rey hovered on her broom one hundred feet above the green grass of the quidditch pitch, numbly trailing along the sidelines as she watched the Ravenclaw chasers fly through the air. It was the first Ravenclaw Quidditch team practice of the week and she already felt like leaving. She wasn't even looking for the goldem snitch; _what was the point, when this was just a practice?_  

"Rey?"

She flinched as Jessika's voice rang close to her ear. The Ravenclaw Captain appeared beside Rey moments later, silently studying her with critical but kind eyes. 

"You've been floating around like this for the whole practice," Jess said, not unkindly. Rey could tell by the look in her brown eyes that she was genuinely concerned.

"Oh, sorry," Rey murmured, shifting awkwardly on her broom. "I'm just not with it today."

"Did something happen?" Jess asked, tilting her head. Rey shifted her eyes onto the keepers at the end of the field, who had just blocked a shot. She let out a sigh, thankful that the cool evening wind whisked it away.

"I..." Rey swallowed the dry lump in her throat. "I saw something I shouldn't have. Last night."

Jess raised her eyebrows, also glancing away to watch the Ravenclaw players. "Well... Maybe you should take a break from quidditch for today. It sounds like you need it.” 

Rey nodded and quickly said goodbye, plummeting down to the earth below as she left the air. She had too much momentum and too much speed as she landed, catapulting herself forward. Rey caught herself before she fell, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she checked if anyone had been watching. All of her team players were high in the air, focused on their quidditch practice as they should be. Rey dismounted from her broom, carrying it in her hand as she walked back to the castle.

She felt like a great pressure was building inside her, filling up her body until she exploded. Rey was never good at keeping secrets. _Never_. She told Finn and Poe _everything_ , yet somehow she knew that this secret library encounter was not something she was going to share with them.

Rey knew that it shouldn't be affecting her as much as it was. The incident was suspicious and weird, sure, but it wasn't her business. It was Ben's. Yet she couldn't stop thinking about it. Rey had been distracted the entire day, and Jessika was not the first person to ask if she was okay. Finn and Poe had been treating her with hesitance all morning, as if she would break if they asked too many questions, and even Maz had commented on how distracted Rey seemed in transfiguration.

She'd ignored Ben for all of their classes together, treating him as she would any random Slytherin she was paired up with. He'd reciprocated her behaviour, and Rey was glad he took the hint. She had no idea what to say to him. She really didn't.

Rey didn't know what she was going to do.

***

When Ben took his seat beside her in Potions class, Rey silently studied him. _Did he look like a practicer of the dark arts?_ The Empire had been banished from the world of magic before Rey was even born, so she didn't know what dark arts followers even looked like. Ben certainly seemed to fit the stereotype she had formed in her head: dark, mysterious, brooding, and arrogant. Rey hadn't gone anywhere near the library on her prefect duties since their encounters. She wondered if Ben was still sneaking around there after hours, searching through suspicious books and glancing over his shoulder to see if she would be around the corner.

"We need to talk," Rey said suddenly, before she could stop herself.

Ben continued looking at the board for a moment, and she saw his gaze harden before he turned to her. His eyes traveled down her face almost critically, as if he were searching for her true motives.

"We don't." He replied firmly, keeping his eyes cold as he held eye-contact with her. His tone may have once beaten her into submission, but Rey was too determined to back down.

"We do," she insisted, keeping her voice just as serious. His expression didn’t change and Rey knew that Ben wasn't going to accept her suggestion unless she forced him to. "If you want your secret to stay quiet, then I suggest you listen to me."

His eyes actually widened, ever so slightly, as if her forcefulness had surprised him. It sure surprised her. Rey had never felt more like a cunning Slytherin than she did in that moment.

"Fine," he breathed, glancing away as he thought. Rey resisted a smile at his acceptanc, because she didn't want to threaten him further than she already had. "Are you free this weekend?"

In a different situation, with other circumstances, that question would have made Rey's heart skip a beat and force her to break out into a giddy grin, but she was in no mood for smiling.

"Yes," she answered, without even considering what homework she had to finish. "What were you thinking?"

"A nice stroll through Hogsmeade while we have our little talk." He replied, almost arrogantly. Rey was supposed to be the one in control, yet she felt like somehow she'd just been manipulated.

"Fine." She replied, tapping her nails against the wood of their desk. "Saturday?"

"Its a date," Ben replied smoothly, giving Rey a classic smirk when she quirked a brow at him. She looked away from him as class started, already starting to feel anxious for Saturday.

***

Poe plopped down beside Rey at the Hufflepuff table in the great hall, bringing a huge food-stacked plate along with him. Rey glanced away from his eye-watering selections to fill her own plate with that day’s dinner selections. 

"So," Poe asked around a mouthful of food. "Wanna go to Hogsmeade with Finn and I on Saturday?"

Rey opened her mouth to say _yes_ , when she realized with dread that she was supposed to meet up with Ben that day. _What would she say to Poe?_

"Um..." Rey stuffed a big spoonful of salad in her mouth to give her more time to think of an excuse. By the time she chewed and swallowed she still hadn't thought of anything good. "I can't." She said simply.

Poe slowed down his chewing, looking at her suspiciously. "Do you have homework?"

Rey pressed her lips together. This was the moment she could spill the truth or just dig herself a hole of lies. "I think so," she said, shifting her eyes onto her dinner. She'd just outright lied to her friend, and it felt horrible.

Finn and Rose joined them at the table moments later, and Rey was glad to have a good distraction.

"Finn, do you want to go to Hogsmeade on Saturday?" Poe asked, barely giving Rose a second glance. Rey could feel the second-hand embarrassment.

Finn glanced towards Rose, then back to Poe. "I already have plans with Rose that day, but you're welcome to join us!” 

"Oh," Poe murmured, shifting his gaze down to his plate. "Nah, it's fine. I have homework anyways."

"Are you sure?" Finn asked, sensing Poe's hurt from across the table. "We don't mind-"

"It's fine, man." Poe said, shooting them a classic Dameron smile. "Enjoy yourselves."

Finn still looked hesitant at Poe's decision, but nodded anyways. Rey felt even worse now.

"Rey, would _you_ like to join us?" Rose asked her. 

Rey gave them a sad smile, and the lies rolled out of her like water. "Sorry, I have homework I need to finish. Next time," she promised, piercing her lettuce with her fork. _This wasn't good._  

"Oh, alright..." Rose replied, giving Finn a small smile. Rey didn't want to know what expression was on Poe's face, so she kept her eyes down and on her food.

***

Rey dug through her small assortment of normal clothing for something nice to wear for Hogsmeade, frowning at every wrinkled t-shirt she pulled out. She really hoped Ben had been joking when he said it was date.

She finally decided on black jeans with a grey sweater, the best combination of formal and casual that she had in her luggage. Rey styled her brown hair half-up before she left the Ravenclaw dormitories.

She still felt guilty about how she'd lied to Poe, Finn, and Rose. She wasn't doing anything wrong... _right_? Still, Rey knew they'd judge her anyways considering their reactions when they saw her talking to Ben at Hogsmeade _last_ weekend. She just hoped she wouldn't run into them. That would be too much awkwardness for one lifetime.

It was a cloudy day outside, the weather slowly but surely changing from summer to autumn. Soon the trees on the castle grounds would change colour and carpet the earth with red and yellow leaves.

It was a chillier day, and Rey hoped that would mean her friends would choose _not_ to go on their expedition to the village today. _Please not today._

The village, unlike last weekend, was now bursting with tiny third years all exploring on their first weekend of freedom. Rey smiled to herself as she saw them, thinking about how only years ago she'd been in their positions, how different things had become since then.

She'd agreed to meet Ben at The Three Broomsticks. She reached the pub a few minutes earlier than their meeting time, but entered anyways to find them a table.

The pub was bustling with Hogwarts students. Rey peered around for Ben, but didn't see him anywhere. Somehow it wasn't surprising that he wasn't early. She found the most secluded seats she could near the back of the pub, sitting down and waiting anxiously for him to arrive. She still wasn't quite sure what exactly she wanted to say to him. The pressure of keeping his secret was just too much to handle, and she needed to talk to someone about it.

Rey spotted _him_ before he saw her. He was wearing all black again, except without the leather jacket he'd been wearing last time. She didn't know why she remembered what he'd been wearing. His eyes scanned throughout the busy pub lazily, finally landing on her.

They watched each other from across the room for a few heartbeats, unblinking and focused before he moved through the crowd, sitting down across from her moments later.

"Hey," Rey greeted, straightening in her seat. "Thanks for coming.” 

Ben smirked, dark eyes flickering over her face. "Did I have a choice?" He asked, cocking his head. _The first thing he says is something rude. What a surprise_. Before Rey could respond, he spoke again. "You're more of a Slytherin than you know."

"You're wrong," Rey retorted immediately, folding her hands together underneath the table. "I'm nothing like you."

"You _threatened_ me," Ben said back, almost laughing. Rey shifted her eyes down onto the table, feeling the guilt swallow her up once again.

"This isn't about me," She insisted, looking up as a waitress approached their table. Rey ordered a butterbeer so she'd have a distraction while they talked, and so did Ben. They didn't speak again until their drinks arrived.

Rey focused her attention onto the frosty mug in her hands, willing the coldness to numb her anxiety. _Calm down._

"So," Ben started, taking a long sip of his drink. "What did you want to talk about?"

His dark eyes stayed on hers as he drank. At this point, it was undeniable: Ben was attractive. Or at least, Rey thought so. She tried to not let it distract her from her purpose. She wasn't here to ogle him, she was here for answers.

"The library," Rey replied, watching his reaction. He blinked at his drink, taking another long sip. It seemed he already knew.

"Go on," he muttered, pushing around his glass like a bored child at family dinner.

"So you'll answer my questions?" Rey asked.

Ben clenched his jaw, shifting his eyes up to hers. "Depends on what you ask," He answered suspiciously.

"Well... I know you weren't really "researching" in there," Rey started, almost rolling her eyes at his lame excuse. "I want to know why you were in there. I want to know why you were looking through those books."

Ben lightly shook his head, almost to himself. "I wanted to read them." He said simply. "I was curious. Is that so bad?"

_Yes_ , she wanted to respond. _Yes, it's bad, because normal people don't read books about the dark arts because they're 'curious'. Normal people don't read books about the dark arts at all._

Rey took another few sips from her drink, washing down her thoughts. He was playing her with excuses, and she had to play him back. She had to be in control.

"I guess not," Rey lied, trying to appear downcast that her suspicious were incorrect. "I thought something else was going on."

Ben shifted in his seat, leaning in closer to her across the table. Rey met his dark eyes, consciously trying not to lean back or look away.

"Nothing's going on," Ben murmured, shaking his head to reiterate. "Okay?" He asked softly.

Rey was becoming a better and better liar every day, it seemed. Maybe Ben was right in saying that she was more of a Slytherin than she knew.

"Okay," She murmured back, involuntarily glancing down to his lips as he smirked at her. _Stop it, Rey_. She quickly returned her focus to his eyes, leaning back in her chair to break the awkward closeness between them. Her heart was inexplicably racing. Rey wondered if his was too.

"I better not catch you in there again," She teased, keeping her eyes on him as she drank her butterbeer. Rey barely tasted it, all of her attention frozen on Ben.

"You won't," he replied, smirking crookedly. Rey didn't know if that meant he wasn't going to try again, or if he just wasn't going to let himself get caught. Somehow she knew it was the latter.

Rey glanced over her shoulder to peer out the window behind her, eyes flickering over the many students wandering around. The grey clouds in the air were starting to disperse, revealing the pure blue sky behind them. It was turning out to be a decent day.

When she turned back around, Ben's eyes were focused on her. Even her own friends never gave her this much attention, this much focus. A heartbeat later, he asked, "Did you have other plans for today?"

Rey blinked at him, silently wondering if she'd just imagined the question. She didn't even bother thinking if she had homework to do. She just answered with the first word that entered her head. "No,"

"Want to walk around for a bit?" He asked, almost in boredom as he leaned back in his chair and tilted his head. Rey didn't know how he asked her things like that so casually. It was like he didn't care. Ben was unreadable.

Rey bit the edge of her lip to stop herself from smiling. Ben's eyes flickered to the movement, and she revelled in the strange look in his eyes as he watched her. "Sure," Rey answered, quickly finishing the remainder of her butterbeer. Ben did the same, and moments later they were standing and walking out of The Three Broomsticks side-by-side.


	12. Chapter Twelve-A new perspective

This was _not_ how Ben Solo had imagined his Saturday going.

He was in Honeydukes Candy Shop of all places, boredly looking around without really planning to buy anything. There was too many annoying third years in there for the experience to be enjoyable. He was only in there because of her.

Rey was a literal kid in a candy shop as she walked through the aisle ahead of him, a few small bags of sweets already clutched in her hands. Ben still didn't quite know why he’d asked her to spend the day with him. He had homework to finish, other Slytherin friends to hang out with, more useful things to accomplish. It was an impulse, to spend more time with her, even after her lame attempt at an interrogation.

Rey paused in front of a large display of chocolates, and he stood beside her. Her hazel eyes were inquisitive as she peered at the tiny price tags. She turned away from the display and to him, eyes shifting up to meet his. He resisted a smile at their height difference.

"Are you going to get anything?" Rey asked him, eyes growing mischievous. "Or are you just going to stand there watching me?"

She had a hint of a smile on her pink lips, obviously amused by her own comment. She was prettier when she wasn't snapping at him, he thought.

"I don't eat candy," he answered, silently enjoying the way her eyes widened in surprise.

Rey clutched a dramatic hand over her heart, feigning shock. "I'm offended," she teased, though by the look in her eyes he could tell she wasn’t completely joking.

Rey lightly shook her head as she turned away, picking out a chocolate bar from the shelf with a sense of finality. "I'm gonna go pay now," she told him, reviewing the candy in her hands before they headed to the cashier. Rey dug around in the back pockets of her jeans, pulling out loose coins that barely covered her selection. Ben felt a strange desire to pay for her stuff, even though none of it was for him. She'd probably get all offended that he wanted to help, so he kept his offers to himself.

They'd been ambling around the different shops in Hogsmeade Village for about half an hour, making their way down the Main Street. It was an average mid-September day, and the cool breeze was tousling both of their hair as they walked. Rey looked radiant in the sunlight, skin glowing and eyes alight, a slight smile on her lips as she snuck glances at him.

He felt like he was falling, tumbling deeper and deeper into his feelings until they became inescapable. He was being blinded by his feelings. Ben wasn't stupid- he knew she didn't believe his reasons for being caught in the restricted section. Rey was a Ravenclaw through and through, no matter how much she acted like she wasn't. And now she was a keeper of one of his darkest secrets.

Rey was right in saying that they she was nothing like him. Light side magic shone off of her, almost blinding. _What does that make her think of me?_

Somehow Ben knew she was trustworthy, despite how close she was with her friends. She wouldn't dare tell them. _Hopefully_.

"Is there anywhere you wanted to go?" She asked him, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She was wearing little silver star earrings that glinted in the sunlight.

"No," he answered. He hadn't planned to be in the village at all that weekend. "What about you?"

"No," she said with a sheepish smile, shifting her eyes down. Awkward silence slowly enveloped them, but Rey was quick to dissipate it. "How's quidditch practice going?"

Ben resisted an eye-roll and a groan, which was a basic summary of his feelings about quidditch. The fact that it was his dad's favourite sport made him detest it even more.

"It's alright," he lied, running a hand though his hair to hide his expression. "Our first game is against Gryffindor in November."

"That's going to be a wild game," Rey said, smiling at the thought. It seemed playing and watching quidditch was one of her real passions, which he could admire. Being on a school team took commitment.

"And who are you going to be cheering for?" He asked with a smirk, tilting his head at her.

Her eyes glinted as she gave him a look. "I won't be choosing sides," she declared.

"Too bad," Ben mused. "You could've been invited to our victory party."

Rey sighed and shook her head, though her lips were twitched in a smile that betrayed her amusement.

***

Rey collapsed back against her bed once she got back to the castle, letting herself smile giddily since no one was around. She felt light and airy, like if she jumped she would float up to the clouds. The threatening fact that she had tons of homework to finish by tomorrow didn't even phase her.

The day with Ben had been more fun than she'd expected. Once he loosened up a bit he was actually sort of funny and charming, more so than usual. If only he acted like that while they were in class together, life would be going so much smoother.

It was surprisingly refreshing to spend time with someone new. It was awkward at times, but enjoyable overall. Rey wished things were different, that Ben was in Ravenclaw and they could stay up late doing homework together in the common room and eating meals together in the great hall. Things would be so different if they'd been forced together all those years ago. Who knows where they’d be now?

She couldn't stop replaying the day in her mind, rewatching the scenes as if they were a movie. Rey wondered if Ben was still thinking about her too...

_What if he has a girlfriend?_ It struck Rey suddenly, and she physically frowned at the thought. While she was fantasizing and wishing for circumstances to change, he could be in a serious relationship with someone else. She wanted to know the answer to her question, but there was no casual way to ask him that. He'd think she was interested in him. Rey didn't want to ruin their friendship before it'd even really started.

She hoped Ben would still invite her to the Slytherin quidditch party, if they ended up winning. Rey was faithful in Poe and the Gryffindor team, so she was unsure how the game would turn out. She formed an idea in her mind to invite Ben to the Gryffindor victory party if Slytherin didn't win. Maybe, just _maybe_ he'd say yes and not be a sore loser.

The game was in the first week of November, still over a month away. _Who knows where their relationship would be by then?_ It struck her that she may not even be friends with Ben by then. They could easily stray apart through the weeks, stop talking, stop hanging out. It was also possible that their friendship would be even stronger by that time, maybe even have turned into something else...

Rey shook away her daydreams, pushing herself off of her bed to head to dinner. It was a blessing that she hadn't run into Poe, Finn or Rose in Hogsmeade that day. It wasn't even being seen with Ben that would have been the worst part. It was the lying, and being caught in the act. She didn't want them to think they were being replaced by Ben just because Rey had caught feelings. They would always be her friends, no matter what happened.

The Great Hall was bustling with hungry students, as always. Rey's eyes flitted over the people seated at the Slytherin table, but she couldn't see Ben. If was odd, the way his look and demeanour demanded attention in a small space but blended into the rest of his house in the great hall. Even when they entered stores together in Hogsmeade, all eyes flickered onto Ben. His stance, his strong features, his dark gaze. You couldn't help but look at him. Rey was relieved, yet also uncomfortable that she wasn't the only one who found him captivating.

Finn, Poe, and Rose were already seated at their usual spot at the Hufflepuff table when Rey arrived, eating their dinners. She wasn't that hungry-she'd been munching on the candy she'd bought earlier with Ben in Honeydukes- yet she still had to show up to dinner to appear inconspicuous. After all, she was supposed to have been busy doing homework all day with no fresh snacks to gorge herself on.

"How'd the homework go?" Finn asked her, twirling spaghetti around on his fork.

Rey almost faltered in her response, tempted to ask him what he meant. "I finished everything," she answered, which was only partially a lie. She had started working on her homework when she got back from the village, but still had to finish some assignments up. _They didn't need to know that._

"That's good." Finn said. "We're all going to the library after dinner. Want to come with?"

_I. Am. Screwed._

There were multiple heartbeats of silence as Rey struggled to formulate a convincing excuse. She had to finish her homework, and there was no way she could accomplish that if she was hanging out with them, but she’d just told them she had it all done.

"I, uh..." Rey shifted her eyes across the group as words tumbled from her mouth. "I'm feeling pretty tired, so I think I'm just going to go to bed early."

Poe frowned, looking down at his watch. "Rey, it's _six o’clock_ "

She shifted on the bench, clenching her hands together under the table. _This is why you never lie_. "I need some time to myself," Rey said.

Poe gave her a suspicious look. "Rey, why are you-"

" _Poe_ , stop pressuring her." Rose interjected, giving him a kind but deadly smile. The Gryffindor promptly clicked his mouth shut, giving Rey a silent look from his spot beside her. She didn't hold his gaze, giving Rose the most thankful expression she could communicate instead. _What a lifesaver_. The girl smiled when they met eyes, lightly nodding once in acknowledgement. Poe had returned to his dinner, but by the way he was butchering his chicken with his utensils, Rey knew he was still suspicious. She'd tell them the truth... _one day._

***

The last few weeks of September whizzed by in the blink of an eye as the students returned to their school schedules and routines. Rey kept on top of all of her work, determined to impress her teachers and finish with good grades. It was only the first month of school, but every assignment and test she completed contributed to her overall grade in the long run.

October arrived and was readily accepted with open arms, at least by Rey. The castle and greenhouses were always too hot in September and the autumn weather allowed everyone to relax and cool down. Even the teachers seemed to loosen up as the seasons shifted. Except for _Snoke_.

No matter the season, no matter the approaching holidays, Snoke remained in the same irritated mood all school-year long. Rey didn't know what his problem was. _Was he just one of those teachers who hated children and was just there to make money?_ She was achieving favourable marks in all of her classes except for his, despite how hard she tried. It wasn't just the potion making that was dragging her grade down either-it was _everything_. Snoke's tests were ridiculously long and strenuous, and Rey always found questions on them that hadn't been reviewed in class. It was a mess, and the base of most of her stress and anxiety.

Ben, however, seemed to be carefree. Rey saw the marks written on the upper right hand corner of his assignments and tests- high nineties and perfects, never anything less. She didn't _hate_ him for it, but... it was annoying that he was achieving amazing marks without even trying. It was unfair.

They hadn't hung out again since that trip to Hogsmeade a few weeks back, simply talking when they were in class instead, which really only happened in astronomy. Ben was a different person when his Slytherin friends were around. He developed that 'too cool for school' kind of attitude, rarely giving her a second glance in defence against the dark arts. It stung and Rey didn't know why.

***

Rey hated getting marked work back. It filled her with that familiar sense of dread and anxiety, and there was nothing she could do about it except bounce in her seat and wait. Potions class was the worst of all, since the marks she was getting back would undoubtably be disappointing.

Snoke was weaving through the aisles and rows of wooden desks, a thick stack of marked assignments in his wrinkled hands. Every time he walked in her direction Rey tensed up in preparation, silently praying that maybe she'd gotten this one right.

The Potions Professor approached her and Ben's shared desk and dropped off their papers before continuing on with the rest of his stack. The assignment was face down- _why did it always have to face down?_ With gritted teeth Rey picked up the paper and flipped it over, reading the mark that was circled in red ink. _C+_

She wanted to kill someone, preferably Snoke. It wasn't the worst grade imaginable, but Rey was not happy with herself. She could never become an auror or work in the ministry of magic with grades like that.

Rey was so focused on death-glaring her assignment that she didn't even notice that Ben was watching her until he spoke.

"You okay?" He asked her, not completely serious in his tone and the amused expression on his face. Rey fought the urge to rip up the paper into a million little pieces and throw it at someone.

She glanced over at him and didn't even have to look down at the face-up assignment on his desk to know what mark he'd gotten. The fresh smugness on his face said it all.

"I'm stellar," Rey responded, not attempting in the slightest to cover the annoyance in her voice. "Just perfect,"

Ben gave her a confused look, glancing down at the paper she still had clutched in her hands. The confusion faded as he figured it all out. "Is it your mark? Is that why you're upset?"

"I'm not upset," Rey defended quickly, though her voice betrayed her words. "But yes, it's my mark." She sighed as she said it, realizing how stupid and emotional she must sound. People received bad marks every day, but they didn't dwell on it like her. Rey knew how much she disliked people complaining to her about their problems without listening to hers in return.

"Rey..." Ben seemed to be more serious now. The hand resting on his thigh shifted, as if he was thinking of comforting her, but decided not to. Rey wished he would touch her. At least it would distract her mind. "It's just a number. It doesn't say anything about how smart you are, or how worthy you are." Ben said in a soft voice. "You'll do better next time."

His words were comforting, but only because of how soothing his deep voice was. Marks _were_ just numbers, but they were important numbers that defined you and what kind of career you could get. Of course straight-A student Ben Solo would have that kind of blissful attitude. Rey wanted to snap at him, to tell him he didn't know what it was like to be in her position, to have anything less than the best, but she didn't. For once he was actually acting genuine. He didn't need her tearing him down.

"Thanks, Ben." Rey said, draping her arm along the top of her chair. He was in the same position, and if either of them moved their hand just an inch, their hands would touch. "It's kind of you to say."

His eyes shifted to their hands, a foggy expression in his eyes that Rey couldn't read. "What I said is true, okay?" His hand moved and lightly rested on top of hers, warmth and energy flowing through them as he held eye-contact. The moment was over in the blink-of-an eye as Ben turned away and casually started flipping through the pages of his textbook.

It happened so quickly Rey didn't know how to react, didn't know what to say, didn't know what to do. Ben was now seemingly focused on finding the page number Snoke had written on the board, acting as if he hadn't just touched her for the first time ever. Rey let her arm drop into her lap, turning towards her desk and blinking at the grains in the wooden desk. _Did that just happen?_ It was an ordinary and friendly act of comfort, but it felt like so much more, and Rey wished it had lasted forever. Her body was only reacting now, heart racing in her chest and a blush creeping onto her cheeks. _How am I supposed to focus on the lesson now?_

There was one thing Rey knew in that moment, and that was that she wanted to feel his touch again, she craved it more than anyone else's. She wanted his hands all over her body, wanted him murmuring her name in her ear with no one else around. She wanted to be his. Rey knew she was delirious, but she was shamelessly crushing on Ben Solo and there was nothing she could do about it. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen-Crushing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So today’s my birthday:D! I’d just like to thank everyone for their support on this story! Reading your lovely comments makes my day

"Guys, I can't find this stupid book _anywhere_!" Poe called to Rey, Finn and Rose from a nearby bookshelf. Finn gave the girls an exasperated look, pulling himself out of his green armchair with a sigh as he went to help Poe. Rey was left behind with Rose sitting across from her, and she took the opportunity to talk about something that had been on her mind for awhile now.

"Rose, can I ask you something?" Rey asked her, keeping her voice quiet enough that Finn or Poe couldn't hear.

"Sure," Rose replied, setting down her pencil to give Rey her full focus. "What's up?"

Rey didn't really know how to ask the question casually. By now her and Rose were pretty good friends, but they never hung out without Finn and Poe around. They just didn't have the same casual relationship.

"It's a bit weird," Rey warned with a laugh. "But have you ever had a crush before?"

Rose broke out into a smile as well, and her cheeks started blushing on their own accord. "Of course," she said with a giggle. "Why?" 

"I just... What does it feel like?" Rey asked her, leaning in slightly across the table to keep her voice down. 

"To have a crush?" Rose asked, and Rey nodded. "Well... You think about the person a lot, like a _lot_. You want to spend time with them, you want to get to know them more, you're attracted to them..." Rose lightly shook her head, like she was rambling on from a current experience. "It's kind of like a weird fixation, you know?" 

Rey nodded along, puzzle pieces fitting together in her mind. It all made so much sense now. 

Rose began to smile one of those knowing smiles that spoke a thousand words. " _You_ have a crush, don't you?"

Rey's eyes flickered over to Finn and Poe instinctively, but they weren't listening at all, engrossed in searching for Poe's library book. Rey turned back to Rose, trying not to smile like an idiot but utterly failing.

"Oh my gosh, you do!" Rose exclaimed quietly, also glancing over at Finn and Poe. "Do _they_ know?"

"No," Rey answered, feeling only slightly guilty. "I don't think they would approve.” 

"I'm sure they will!" Rose reassured, but Rey knew they wouldn't. Rose probably thought Rey was crushing on some normal Ravenclaw student, not the headmaster's Slytherin nephew. "Anyway, your secret's safe with me."

"Thanks, Rose." Rey said, glad to have someone non-judgemental in her life that she could confide in.

Poe and Finn arrived moments later, book in hand. Poe slumped down beside Rey, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly. "I'm going to bed early tonight," he declared to the group, proceeding to yawn. It was 7:00 pm on a Thursday night, and the school day had been as tiring as usual.

"Poe, you say that _every_ night," Finn teased.

"Yeah, yeah," Poe brushed Finn's comment away. "So, I think it's time we solidify our plans for the Halloween Dance."

"Oooo, yes," Rey agreed, already feeling excited. There was always a Halloween Dance after the Halloween Feast, for the sixth and seventh year students. Finn, Poe, and Rey had been foregoing dates and going together as friends every year. It was one of their many traditions. 

"Actually, uh..." Finn pressed his lips together, hesitation filling his words. "I'm going with Rose this year. As my date." He glanced towards the Hufflepuff girl beside him and smiled at her reassuringly.

"What?" Rey and Poe asked in unison. They shared a look before turning their attention onto Finn and Rose.

"Yeah," Rose said meekly, shooting Finn a confused look. Obviously she was unaware of their annual tradition of going without dates. _How could he do this to us?_

"I hope that's okay with you guys," Finn said with a tight smile, giving Rey a pleading look. She was always more understanding with things like this than Poe was, so it was unsurprising that he was looking at her to diffuse the situation.

"Of course," Rey answered for both of them, ignoring Poe's annoyed glare aimed at the side of her head. "I hope you guys have fun!"

"Thanks, Rey." Finn said quickly, giving her a quick nod. "I'm sure you can both find someone to go with."

Rey smiled tightly, internally dreading finding a date. Hopefully Poe would agree to go with her as a friend, because Rey was _not_ going to be asking someone to go with her, especially not Ben. She'd _like_ to go with him, but he would never say yes. He'd be ridiculed by his precious Slytherin friends for going with someone like her. Rey was not going to risk embarrassing herself like a fool with him. 

When the group left the library, Finn and Rose turned away towards the kitchens, where the Hufflepuff common room was located, leaving Rey and Poe walking alone down the corridor together. They were both exhausted, physically and mentally from the school day and now emotionally from the news that their annual plans were being broken.

"Will you come with me to the dance?" Rey asked him, almost pleading. "I _really_ don't want to ask anyone.”

"Me neither," Poe muttered, letting out a tired sigh. "Of course I'll go with you. We need to keep the tradition alive, after all." His tone and expression were bitter cold.

"Right," Rey agreed, trying to keep her mind open to both of her best friends' point of views. She was annoyed that Finn had chosen to go with Rose instead of them, but she understood why he did it. It would be good for him, help him get out of his shell, but it didn’t make it suck any less. 

"See you later," Poe said flatly, turning away to head to Gryffindor tower.

"Night, Poe," Rey replied, watching his slumped figure walk down the hall for a few moments before continuing on. Poe seemed way more upset than her. _It was just a dance, right? Maybe it meant more for him. Maybe he was planning on asking Finn to be his date?_ Either way, she felt for him. They'd just have to have fun at the dance without Finn or Rose, which should be easy enough.

*** 

"Are you going to the Halloween dance?"

Rey froze at Ben's question, as stiff as a board as she continued looking blankly through the telescope lens before straightening. She lightly rubbed underneath her eye, hoping that the lens hadn't left a red mark on her cheek.

"Yeah," She answered. _Please don't ask me._  

Ben leaned against the edge of the open window, hands in his pockets. He looked effortlessly blasé no matter what he was doing, but she could tell by the stiffness of his body that he was preparing himself for something. _Oh god.._  

"Want to come with me?"

Life could not get any worse. The fact that he had just asked her to be his date to a dance was unbelievable, yet she had no choice but to say no.

"I-I would," Rey started, already wanting to turn back time as the words tumbled out. "But I just made plans the other day to go with Poe."

She wanted to shrivel up and die on the spot. This was the _perfect_ opportunity to spend more time with him, and she'd just said no. No matter how desperately she had wanted to be selfish and say yes, she knew she couldn't leave Poe by himself, not after Finn and Rose had left their group. She'd be a horrible friend if she did that to him.

Ben blinked at her, smirk fading from his face. His eyebrows raised ever so slightly, lips parting. "Oh," he mused, not sadly but not in amusement either.

"I'm sorry," Rey said with a slight cringe, and she meant it. She wanted to go with him _so_ badly. She _did_. And apparently he'd wanted to go with her as well. "It's just- we're going as friends, and I can't ditch him." She needed him to understand her circumstances, that she was only saying no because she was being a good friend, not because she didn’t want to go with him.

"It's fine," Ben said confidently, hiding his true emotions deep within a neutral facade. "I'll just ask someone else."

"...Oh, okay." Rey was the one left bewildered now. She'd thought she was special, but apparently not. Apparently he had a whole other pool of beautiful girls to choose from, just going down the list until he found someone who said yes. She just happened to be at the top of it. Whoever else he asked would definitely agree, without a doubt. Ben was one of the hottest guys in school.

The thought of sitting at the sidelines of the Great Hall with Poe while watching Ben slow-dance with another girl made her stomach twist into knots. Rey wasn't usually the jealous type, but she was different with Ben. She didn't know how she'd enjoy herself at all at the dance, considering she'd be dwelling on the amazing experience that could've been. _I'm so stupid..._ Rey fought the urge to bang her forehead against the stone wall of the astronomy tower. This was one of those embarrassing moments she'd be remembering for years to come, she could feel it.

Ben didn't speak to her again for the remainder of the class. Rey felt his rejection so strongly it was stifling, creating tension in the air that could be cut with a knife. It was a relief when Maz called for the attention of the class and told them they could leave early. Rey needed to scream into her pillow in frustration and take a nice, hot shower to wash all of the day's awkwardness away. 

***

"Turn to page 64," Snoke ordered, standing at the front of the Potions classroom as the students flipped through their textbooks. Another day, another potion. Rey had made a few other potions throughout the last month, which had been surprisingly easier than the first one that she’d absolutely _failed_ in making. Unfortunately, the potion Snoke had them making today was unfamiliar and accompanied by a lengthy recipe. Rey was determined to impress Snoke this time, and not make a total fool of herself. If need be, she would even suck it up and ask Ben for help if it meant she would be successful. 

"You have an hour. Whoever impresses me the most today gets a special prize."

Rey's eyes widened in appreciation. _A prize?_ It was a motivating incentive, which, unfortunately, would also encourage the other students to do well too. Ben would undoubtably be awarded the prize, being Snoke's star student, but Rey let herself imagine it was a fair game to motivate herself.

By the time she was done brewing her potion, Rey was a sweaty and tired mess, collapsing in her chair as soon as she was finished all of the steps. She turned the dial of the burner underneath her potion to the lowest setting, peering into the cauldron once it was no longer bubbling. The colour and texture seemed to match the picture in the textbook pretty well, as as far as Rey knew she'd properly completed all of the steps. Maybe she actually had a chance of winning that prize. 

Rey glanced over at Ben, who was still standing with one hand resting on his hip and one hand stirring his potion. For once he looked more flustered than her- and that said a _lot_. She actually rubbed at her eyes, believing for a moment that the fumes from her potion had made her hallucinate, but Ben was still in the same position when she lowered her hand. He'd shed his grey sweater because of the humidity in the room, revealing a white dress shirt that clung tight to his arms and torso. He actually looked kind of muscular, which was surprising considering _who the heck had time to workout when you have tons of homework every day?_ There was no way he got that fit from just doing quidditch practices a few times a week. 

Rey spent the remaining few minutes of their potion-brewing time wondering where and how Ben was exercising. From those trains of thought she couldn't help but imagine him shirtless, sweating in all of his glory. Thinking about him like that made her cheeks burn red, but it kept most of the anxiety out of her body as the time ticked down. 

"Time's up!" Snoke announced, causing all small conversations in the room to cease instantly. Rey glanced over at Ben again. He was sitting down now, and his black hair was mussed up from running his hands through it so many times. He tiredly met her eyes, not even bothering to smirk or do _anything_. Unnerved, Rey returned her attentionto their professor as he stalked along the desks, peering into the students' cauldrons as he went. 

Unusually, Snoke made zero comments. Normally he'd say something along the lines of ' _average_ ' or ' _needs work_ ' or just _something_ , but today he was silent. Finally, he arrived at her and Ben's desk, stopping in front of Rey's potion first. She wasn't so afraid this time, keeping her composure confident and calm. It was human nature for body language to rub off on people.

Snoke glanced up at her, then back to her potion, then back to her. Rey didn't know what was going on, and she stayed silent as he regarded her with narrowed eyes. Her body tensed up as she prepared herself for the worst.  _What did I do wrong this time?_ He slowly shifted his eyes onto Ben with even more suspicion.

"Did you help her?" He asked him quietly, and Rey's jaw dropped involuntarily. _Was he serious? Did he really think I only did well because of Ben?_

Ben held Rey's shocked gaze for a moment before turning to Snoke. His face was blank as he said, "Of course not."

Snoke clicked his tongue, closely glancing between Rey and Ben's Potions as if they were two identical show-dogs in competition. After a few moments he gave them both a heated look and continued on to see the last few students' potions.

Rey still felt like the thirty seconds hadn't happened, like she'd hallucinated it. This was the 21st century, and Snoke didn't believe she could make a proper potion? Deep down Rey knew it wasn't because he was sexist, but because Ben was _much_ better at potion-making than she was, yet somehow she'd out-brewed him. The thought was laughable, a joke, but it'd come true.

Snoke finished his judging and resumed his position at the front of the class, crossing his pale arms over his chest with a sour look on his face.

"Overall, I was quite disappointed," he told the class, causing more than one student to cringe. "But there were a few of you who impressed me today. One of which will be receiving _this_ -" he held up a small goal of clear liquid in his hand. " _Felix Felicis_. Liquid Luck. And that student is..." his eyes slowly scanned the class for dramatic effect, eventually landing on Rey. "Miss Kenobi."

_What?_

No one clapped. No one made a single sound, not even Hux, who had a scowl staining his features, or Ben, who was shamelessly staring at her with parted lips. Snoke approached her desk, carefully handing Rey the vial. She took it in her hand, lightly rubbing her thumb over the surface of the glass, trying to ignore the fact that Ben was still looking at her in her peripheral vision. _I won_. 

"Congratulations," Snoke said, though his voice was flat. Rey didn't even care. She smiled up at him, not bothering to cover up her happiness.

"Thank you, Professor." She said, looking down at the tiny potion in her hand once again. "Is this safe to use at school?"

"Of course, I brewed it myself," Snoke explained, giving her a pointed look as if she'd known that. "I would save it for something important."

"I will," Rey replied, already imagining the many situations where liquid luck could come in handy. She thought the prize was going to be some crappy chocolate bar or something, not an actual sample of a potion!

The bell rang, and the students wasted no time in escaping the humid dungeons. Rey walked alongside Ben, who had a stony look on his face. 

"Lighten up," she teased. "I'm sure you'll win next time. This was a _total_ fluke."

He looked down at her, still seeming upset about something. _Always brooding._ "I don't care about winning. I care about doing well."

"You care about being the best," Rey corrected, smirking up at him.

"Because I am," Ben replied simply, leaning in his head towards her for emphasis. 

Rey gawked at him, letting out a surprised laugh as she studied his face. "Are you serious?"

"It's a fact," he answered, meeting her eyes with a smirk. "I have Muggle Studies on the fifth floor. I'll see you later."  

"See you later," Rey said, turning away to head outside to Herbology. Finn was _not_ going to believe that she'd made the best potion in the class, even better than Ben’s. Once in the greenhouse, Rey bounded over to her best friend, grinning.

" _Woah_ , Peanut," Finn said at her expression, obviously confused. "Did Snoke have a heart attack in the middle of class or something?"

Rey laughed, shaking her head. "Nope. Even better,"

Finn widened his eyes, tilting his head in curiosity. "What?"

Rey clicked her tongue approvingly, smugly crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, it's just that your _best friend just made the best potion in the whole class_!" Rey exclaimed, pulling out her tiny bottle of liquid luck. 

"Oh my god, no _way_!" Finn gaped at the vial, giving Rey a quick hug of congratulations. "I feel like a proud parent."

"Me too," Rey said, holding the vial up to the light coming through the glass walls of the greenhouse. "This is my prize, by the way. It _might_ be poison, but Snoke said it's _Felix Felicis_." 

"Wow," Finn murmured, leaning in closer to examine the clear liquid. "What are you gonna use it for?"

"God, I have no clue." Rey repied, holding her hands out. "I mean, maybe exams? Or the last quidditch match of the year?" She shrugged. "Should I just save it for next year?"

Finn gave her look, pursing his lips. "Don't ask me. It's your bottle of luck.” 

Rey carefully pocketed the vial into her bag, patting it over the material like it was a child. If someone ever stole it, she would be _pissed,_ more at herself for being careless than the person who too it. Rey knew she was going to have to use it soon, or else she'd end up losing it over the summer. The right opportunity would come, and she’d be able to recognize it. _Hopefully._


	14. Chapter Fourteen- Costumes

Rey was starting to go into last-minute full-fledged  _crisis_ mode.

Halloween was in under one week and she still didn't have a costume ready, or any idea of what she was wanted to dress up as. She didn't even have anything that nice or fancy to wear as an alternative. Rey was the type of person who'd come up with their next costume the week after Halloween, but this year... well, she'd been _distracted_ , to say the least.

At breakfast she'd practically begged Rose to go shopping with her in Hogsmeade, and the Hufflepuff had happily agreed. A few short hours later they were both strolling through the cobblestone streets of the village on a chilly Sunday afternoon. It was truly Autumn now, and the colourful leaves on the ground and cool chill in the air reflected it beautifully.

"Do people our age even dress up for Halloween anymore?" Rey asked Rose as they both entered a small Halloween shop that had been recently set up. The orange and black walls were stacked with masks and accessories, and the floor had a few racks of assorted costumes.

"...Yeah, I think so," Rose answered after awhile. "At least at Hogwarts we do."

Rey hummed and paused by a metal rack of various costumes, looking through them with a tilted head. Rose went to the opposite side, and after a few seconds of searching she laughed and held up one for Rey to see. It was one of those sexy nurse costumes, with a ridiculously low neckline and high skirt.

" _Oh my god_ ," Rey laughed, giving Rose a pointed look. "I am _not_ wearing that." Rose shrugged and put it back on the rack, continuing her search. "What are you and Finn going as?" Rey asked her.

"It's a secret," She chirped.

Rey stopped her search, leaning one hand on the rack. "Are you going as one of those couple costumes?" The thought made her cringe.

" _Maybe_. You'll just have to wait and see," Rose replied, which Rey took as a ' _yes_ '. "What's Poe going as?"

"A pilot," Rey answered with a sigh, because of _course_ he already had a perfect costume for himself ready. "And I'm not going as a bird, or a plane or something.”

The girls continued looking through all the costumes in the shop, but nothing stood out to them. They left the store disheartened and stopped in The Three Broomsticks for some butterbeers to lighten the mood. Rey was really considering just being herself for Halloween when Rose came up with a genius idea.

"Eleven." She said suddenly, excitedly setting down her mug.

"What?" Rey asked, wiping whipped cream off of her upper lip.

"You know the show _Stranger Things_?" Rey nodded. "You should go as Eleven, when she's wearing that pink dress outfit. That would be so cute!"

Rey gasped, nodding along at her brilliant idea. "That would actually be really fun!"

"I have the _perfect_ dress you can borrow!" Rose said, smiling as she envisioned it in her head. Rey sort of felt like a Barbie doll playing dress-up, but she didn't mind.

"And I have the shoes," Rey added, sticking a foot out so Rose could see her white converse, which weren't really _white_ anymore from years of good use. "I mean, I might need to wash them, but anyways..." Rey mumbled to herself.

"They're perfect!" Rose said. "You can come with me to the Hufflepuff common room when we get back to the castle and I'll give you the dress."

"Thanks, Rose." Rey said with a smile, happily sipping her butterbeer. At least she could stop stressing about finding a costume now. It was also a bonus that few people would be wearing the same thing as her, considering how most wizarding families didn't keep up with Muggle pop culture. That would also mean most people wouldn't get what her costume was, but Rey didn't care what people thought. It would be unique. Maybe Ben would even take notice...

***

Raised and tense voices echoed down the dungeon corridor as Rey walked to Potions. She felt like she was intruding on something private and important, but she had to get to class.

As she neared her classroom, she discovered _it_ was the source of the noise. Rey's step almost faltered as she saw Headmaster Skywalker arguing with Ben, both on opposite sides of the doorway. _What?_ They were attempting to keep their voices down, but by the tense stances and the expressions on their faces, Rey knew they were fighting about something. Skywalker appeared calm and collected as always, yet Rey could tell he wasn’t happy. Ben, however, was doing nothing to hide his emotions, and Rey could feel the anger in his words as she awkwardly passed between them to enter the classroom. It was a _bit_ scary. She quickly sat down in her seat, and as Snoke stood to start the lesson, Ben was sitting down beside her.

His entire body was tense, and Rey couldn't help but lean away from him a little. Ben looked like he was going to snap any second, eyes hard and unfocused on a random spot on the wall. His eyes shifted onto hers once he noticed her staring, emotionless. She mouthed to him, " _Are you okay_?"

Ben clenched his jaw before nodding his head, once. He sure didn't _look_ okay, but Rey smiled tightly anyways, returning her attention to Snoke's lecture.

He was silent beside her as they filled in their worksheets, and Rey took that as a sign to not talk to him. Family drama seemed like the worst kind of drama, because you couldn't escape. Rey wouldn't know what that was like. She did feel bad for Ben though, because having your uncle as the headmaster of your private school must feel pressuring.

She wondered if Ben had found a date for the Halloween dance yet, and if so, who he'd asked. Rey wasn't planning on doing anything with that information, but she was just curious. _Curious about his type_. Curious about what student he would pick, who else he had a connection with. She didn't end up asking him.

***

During herbology, Finn convinced Rey to go to the dungeons before dinner to ask Snoke about her vial of liquid luck, since she had so many questions about side-effects and safety. Rey convinced him to come with her, because she was _not_  about to go visit Snoke in the basement of the school _alone_.

They walked beside each other down the steps to the dungeons, passing a few Slytherins on the way, who shot the Ravenclaw and the Hufflepuff dirty looks. Rey ignored them, tugging Finn along to her Potions classroom. Just as they were about to turn a corner, Finn grasped Rey's sleeve and pulled her back, holding a finger to his lips. Rey squinted at him and Finn whispered for her to listen. Rey strained her ears, and sure enough, she could hear voices coming from down the corridor.

"He's probably just talking with a student." Rey said impatiently. "Let's go.”

" _No_!" Finn whisper-shouted, peeking his head around the corner. Rey leaned against the wall, waiting for him to say the coast was clear. He turned his head towards her with wide eyes. " _It's... it's Ben Solo_."

" _What_?" Rey whispered, ducking under him to peek her head out. Through the open door of her Potions classroom she could see the figures of Snoke and Ben, talking about _something_. _Weird..._ "Let's just come back later," Rey said to Finn.

He met her eyes, and then shook his head. "I wanna see what happens."

"Finn, it's none of our business." Rey pleaded, tugging on the sleeve of his robes. "Can we please go?"

"Don't you want to know what they're up to?" Finn asked, turning his head away from her to watch the corridor again.

" _No_ , I don't." Rey said stubbornly, but Finn was ignoring her at this point. _Damn the Hufflepuffs and their curiosity at finding things._

Rey really hoped that nothing was going on, that Ben was just asking Snoke about homework, or anything _normal_. _Why couldn’t it be something normal?_ Her heart was pounding in anticipation, and she was suddenly even gladder that she hadn't come alone.

Neither of them could make out what the Slytherins were saying to each other, but they didn't need to hear to know the gist of what was happening.

Snoke passed Ben a book. It was strangely familiar, with a black cover and a flash of gold lettering. Rey gaped at the sight of the copy of _Secrets of the Dark Arts_ that she'd caught Ben with in the library, clutching at the edges of the stone-brick wall with her fingernails. _No..._

Ben looked down at the cover with a neutral face, turning it over in his hands before tucking it away into a bag he had strung over his shoulder. He started moving towards the doorway, and Rey promptly tugged Finn back into their corridor. They speed-walked as quickly as they could without making too much noise, and they were back in the main corridor of the castle before Ben could catch up to them.

Rey pulled Finn away from the dungeons entrance and towards the Great Hall by the edge of his sleeve, stopping outside of the large open doors. The Great Hall was noisy with starving students, so Rey hoped no one would be able to overhear them.

Finn glanced uneasily behind her shoulder. "I don't get it. What was that?" He asked her.

Rey knew she'd told Ben she wouldn't tell anyone. She _knew_ , and she thought about it as she looked at her best friend who stood in front of her, pure confusion etched onto his innocent face. If she didn't tell him now, he'd figure it out eventually. The truth always came out.

"It's..." Rey glanced over her shoulder to check if anyone was there. "It's a _dark arts_ book." She told Finn quietly. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"How do you know?”

"Trust me," Rey replied, placing her hand on his arm. Now was _not_ the time to explain things.

"I do," Finn said. He opened his mouth to speak again, but closed it as his eyes focused on something behind her. Rey followed his gaze, eyes landing on Ben as he walked down the corridor towards the Great Hall. The bag and the book were both noticeably missing. He quickly noticed them both staring at him, and his eyes flickered between her and Finn suspiciously, a slight crease between his brows. He passed by them wordlessly, and Rey shifted her gaze onto the floor.

"We can't tell anyone about this, okay?" She told Finn with all the seriousness she could. "At least not yet."

He frowned. "No one? Not even Poe or Rose?"

" _No_." Rey insisted. "This stays between us. Promise?"

Finn didn't look like he wanted to agree. It was against his personality to be secretive and dishonest, especially with his closest friends, but after a few moments he nodded his head. He was loyal to Poe and Rose, but he was also loyal to her. Rey let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you. We'll talk about it later, I promise."

"Okay," Finn said, giving Rey a tight smile before they both entered the Great Hall with a secret swimming in their minds.

***

"Will I be seeing you for Halloween set-up on Friday?" Ben asked her in astrology, leaning one arm on the telescope as Rey tried to focus and finish her worksheet. She pulled away from the apparatus, lightly batting his arm away with her paper. 

"Halloween set-up?" She asked with a quirked brow.

Ben looked down at her incredulously, lips parting. "You know, one of our biggest duties as prefects?"

Rey lightly groaned, adjusting the focus on the telescope lens. "We have to do that?"

Ben’s face had started blushing a charming red, but Rey was too distracted with the telescope to notice. "Unfortunately," he muttered.

"Then I guess I'll be there,” she sighed. Being chosen as a prefect was supposed to be a privilege, a reward for being a a good student, not a way for the teachers to avoid doing the work themselves.  _Whatever._ It wasn’t like there was anything Rey could do about it. At least it would give her an opportunity to spend more time with Ben.

***

That night Rey struggled to fall asleep, eyes frozen on the ceiling above her as she laid in bed with the blankets pulled up to her chin. Her mind was stubbornly awake, spinning with thoughts of _him_ , and it wasn't for the same reasons as some nights before. It was because he was spiralling down a path that she couldn't follow, a path that she didn't know how to prevent him from going down. Rey wanted to help him- she wanted to save him from this future. His future that Snoke was helping to create.

Rey always had that inkling within her that Snoke was corrupt. However, she felt no pride for guessing correctly. As much as she wanted to report him to the Headmaster as soon as humanly possible, she still owed him for her passing grade. It felt wrong to do such a thing based on one suspicious moment. Rey needed more information to make a decision. How she would get it, she had no clue.


	15. Chapter Fifteen- Halloween

Rey woke up on October 31st feeling energized and excited for the night to come. Although it would’ve been fun to spend the night with all of her friends, she could have just as much fun with Poe. Rey hoped he'd at least _try_ to be in a good mood, because Halloween only came once a year and she wanted to enjoy herself. Hogwarts had very few school dances and Rey was ready to spend the night screaming her throat raw to pop songs and drinking tons of sugary punch. Astronomy class was even cancelled because of the dance, so Rey had the entire night to stay up late and then the whole weekend to sleep in.

The day's classes sped by quickly, most professors opting to teach small and simple lessons since the students were so distracted. Except for Snoke, of course, who still had the students brew potions for marks. Weirdly, Rey ended up having fun, allowing herself to feel festive while she worked. _Brewing potions on Halloween should be enjoyable, right?_ It made her feel like the fake witches she'd seen in movies when she was little.

Rey studied pumpkins in herbology and vampires in defence against the dark arts. She hated herself for actually enjoying her classes, but the day was turning out to be better than expected. Rey was even looking forward to decorating the Great Hall for her prefect duties, which would surely be strenuous, but enjoyable.

Students were only allowed to break uniform and wear their costumes for the dance, so Rey was forced to stay in her sweater and skirt ensemble as she entered the Great Hall after her last class of the day ended. Ben had not been joking when he said it was one of their biggest Prefect duties of the year. Rey had seen a huge notice on the Ravenclaw common room board almost _ordering_ the Prefects to show up and help decorate.

The Great Hall seemed smaller when it was mostly empty. Rey had never been in the dining room without the entire school present, so seeing it filled with only a few dozen older students, all Prefects, was strange. She moved towards the congregation of Prefects near the teacher's table, where she recognized the vaguely familiar faces of the Head Boy and Head Girl. Rey never talked to them, since they were a year above her.

After a quick debriefing, the Prefects were sent off to decorate for the next two hours. Rey found herself with a ginormous handful of orange and black streamers and banners to hang up on the walls, since they'd been strictly told not to use magic.

Just as she started wondering _how_  exactly she was going to hang up said decorations without magic, Ben arrived with a rickety metal ladder in tow. He was carrying the thing above the ground in one hand, like it weighed nothing more than a feather.

"I'm here to save the day," he announced with a smirk, causing Rey to roll her eyes. Ben set the ladder against the wall and looked down at her expectantly.

"I'm climbing?" Rey complained, already setting her feet onto the lowest rung. "But you're taller."

"And stronger," Ben replied, and Rey could hear the arrogant smile on his face. "I'll be here to catch you when you fall."

Rey looked over her shoulder to scoff at him, and she swore she saw his eyes shift up from somewhere else before meeting hers. Her face flushed, and as casually as possible she tugged down her skirt, because Ben was _not_ getting a free peep-show today.

"I'm not going to fall," Rey insisted, giving him a tight smile. She enjoyed their banter more than he knew.

"We'll see," he murmured, eyes twinkling. Rey climbed the ladder all the way to the top, acutely aware that Ben was probably checking out her ass right now. She just hoped she wasn't flashing him.

As much as Rey would like have liked to have Ben's hands on her waist, she was completely stable on the ladder as she hung up the Halloween decorations. They chitter-chattered as they moved along the wall, and Rey thought about telling Ben that she didn't need him there to hold the ladder in place, but decided not to. Sure, it may have been more efficient if he was actually helping to decorate instead of talking with her, but Rey selfishly enjoyed his company, and he seemed to be enjoying hers.

With a final press of clear scotch tape against the wall, Rey was finished and satisfied with her work. She carefully stepped down the rungs, purposely brushing her hand against Ben's, which was holding the ladder firmly in place. He gave her a suspicious look once she was back on the ground.

"What?" Rey asked innocently, tilting her head at him. His eyes dragged down her face.

Ben lightly shook his head. "Nothing,"

"Let's go find something else to help out with," Rey suggested, gesturing with her chin towards one of the house tables that still had decorations splayed across it. As Ben walked beside her, she covertly searched his eyes for any sign of guilt, any sign that he'd done something wrong. If she hadn't seen what she had, Rey would've had no idea that he was now in the possession of a dark arts book. That was what unnerved her the most. Not that he had the book, but that he appeared as innocent as ever.

***

The Halloween feast was the best meal of the year by _far_. The actual dinner part of the meal was just as good as any ordinary day, but the desserts were off the charts amazing. Rey stacked her plate with little carrot cake slices, cookies, and cupcakes, but only ended up eating one of each before she was stuffed.

Rey idly pushed around some pieces of candy corn on her plate, her other hand resting gently over her full stomach.

"I've made a mistake," she muttered to Poe, who looked over at her and instantly broke into a smile. "I think I need to take a food nap and never wake up again."

Poe pointed his finger at her warningly, swallowing the cake in his mouth before teasing, "You better not. I need my dance partner tonight."

Rey groaned, sitting up straighter on the table bench. "Are we actually dancing tonight?"

"Uh, of _course_ ," Poe said matter-of-factly, glancing away from her and towards Finn and Rose, who were lost in conversation with each other across the table. Poe returned his attention to her, a new hardness in his eyes. "And we're gonna have _so_ much fun. Right?"

Rey smiled encouragingly, though she was starting to have her doubts. The dance hadn't even started yet and Poe already seemed to be getting bitter. "Yes, we are," She agreed, popping a candy corn in her mouth.

After the feast was finished, the students were all released to go get themselves ready for the dance. Rey was getting increasingly excited and nervous, chatting with Finn and Rose in the corridor before heading off to her dormitory. The pink dress that Rose had lent her for the Eleven costume was laying on her bed, magically ironed and made to look brand-new with some spells that Rose had known. Rey excitedly pulled it on, along with the only slightly over-sized blue jacket Finn had given her to complete the look. She re-touched her makeup in the bathroom mirror, adding a thin flick of liquid eyeliner above her eyelashes. It took multiple attempts for her to do it properly, having very little experience in that department. Rey finished the look off with a quick swatch of wine-coloured lip stick and some bobby-pins pinning the front pieces of her brown hair back from her face.

Rey examined her reflection in the mirror, slowly turning to see herself from different angles. She looked kind of ridiculous, but it was Halloween, a time to let loose and disregard everyone else's opinions. Rey checked the time on the dormitory clock and promptly sped down the steps of Ravenclaw Tower and through the common room without looking twice at any other students.

The corridors were more crowded than usual with dressed-up students heading to the dance or taking advantage of the extended curfew to talk to their friends in the halls. Rey had agreed to meet up with Poe and then go with him to meet Finn and Rose. She reached Gryffindor Tower in minutes, and had to wait triple the time for Poe to come bursting through the portrait entrance in the wall.

He was decked out in his oddly realistic aviator costume, with a brown leather jacket and fake pilot goggles on his head.

"You actually look great," Rey told him, and he promptly did a little turn to show off his costume. Only Poe could make a Halloween costume work as a normal outfit.

"Thanks, Rey. You too," he said, eyes narrowing as he looked at her costume. "Except I have zero clue who you are."

"It's a Muggle thing," Rey replied simply, and Poe nodded absentmindedly, meeting her eyes again.

"Let's go meet up with Finn," He suggested, already walking off in the direction of the Hufflepuff common room. Rey jogged to catch up to him, eternally thankful that her costume had called for ordinary converse sneakers. Some of the other girls that passed them in the corridor were wearing heels that made satisfying clicking noises when they walked, but looked extremely uncomfortable to spend an entire night in. Rey saw a whole lot of skimpy vampires and angels, and thought _how creative_. She hadn't asked Ben what he was going as, and she wondered what in earth he'd chosen.

Finn and Rose were already waiting outside of the kitchens when Poe and Rey arrived, huddling in a group with some other Hufflepuffs. Finn met Rey's eyes almost immediately, and moments later him and Rose were walking over to her.

Rey shared a quick look with Poe, rising her eyebrows at him before turning to face her other friends. They were indeed wearing a couple's costume, though it wasn't nearly as atrocious as Rey had imagined. Finn and Rose were dressed up as stereotypical robbers, complete with black and white striped t-shirts, black beanies, and eye masks.

"You guys look so cute!" Rey exclaimed, giving them both a smile.

"Rey, your costume looks great!" Rose said with awe. "It's just like the show."

"Nice costume, mate." Finn said to Poe, who half-heartedly returned the compliment.

The group walked together to the Great Hall, which was filled up with older students by the time they arrived. The house tables had been pushed against the walls, leaving a large empty space in the middle and some seats on the sidelines. Strange music was playing from an unknown source, which Poe and Finn immediately started singing their hearts out to, lost in their lip-syncing as Rey and Rose shared a look. Rose dragged Finn away and out to the dance floor, leaving Rey and Poe standing by the Great Hall entrance.

"Want to get some punch?!" Rey shouted over the music, which had changed to something with a deep bass line that reverberated through her bones.

Poe nodded instead of yelling back, leading her over to the table with the food and drinks on it. He poured them both plastic cups of fruit punch, and Rey snatched a Halloween themed cookie before they sat down.

She sipped her drink, cringing at the pure sugar that ran down her throat. " _Bloody hell_ this stuff is sweet," she said to Poe, who had a similar look of cringe plastered on his face.

"Agreed," He muttered, taking another sip anyways. The students were going to be bouncing off the walls soon if they were all drinking the stuff.

"Want to go dance?" Rey asked him as the song playing ended. A slow dance song happened to start up next, and Poe lightly shook his head.

"Can we wait for a better song?"

"Sure," Rey replied, munching on her cookie for something to do with herself. The students were all slow dancing now, swaying to the romantic lyrics of the music. She had never felt like such a sulky single person until now, sitting by the sidelines with a cup of horrible fruit punch and a pit of jealousy in her stomach. Ben would be dancing, somewhere out there with some girl, holding her close, looking down at her with those eyes, telling her how pretty she looked. Rey saw her own emotions played out on Poe's face, and followed his gaze to Finn and Rose, who were dancing together. _Guess I'm not the only one wishing I was dancing with someone else._

The night slowly went on, Rey and Poe sometimes deciding to get up to a good song and dance, but mostly staying seated and idly chatting. Even Poe, who never ran out of things to talk about, had run out of steam, resorting to drinking his fourth cup of fruit punch. The dance was more boring than Rey could've imagined.

"I'm going to the washroom," he announced, sighing tiredly as he stood and brushed past her to head to the Great Hall entrance. Rey was left alone at their table, a forgotten cookie on a paper plate in her lap and a slight headache creeping on from the loud music. _Now she really did look like a sulky single._

" _Hello,”_

Rey flinched at the deep, altered voice. She looked up through her lashes to see someone dressed all in black beside her, a mask obscuring their head and face. They were quite tall, and Rey had to tilt her head up to look at them.

"...Hi." Rey said hesitantly, glancing around for Poe. He'd just left for the bathroom, so he probably wouldn't be back for another few minutes. She returned her vision to the stranger, slightly uncomfortable. "Sorry, who're you?"

The mysterious person cocked their head, as if they were studying her, and Rey was about to repeat her question more forcibly when they reached their hands around to the back of their head and slid off the mask in one fluid motion.

It was Ben who was left staring back at her. Rey blinked at him, slowly taking in that this was his costume and she wasn't being creeped on by some horny teenage boy desperate for a make-out session.

"Oh," She said simply, studying his face as he must've been studying hers. Somehow the mask he was wearing hadn't messed up his hair at all, and Rey was oddly envious of how perfect it looked.

"Where's your date?" Ben asked, teasingly and curiously at the same time.

Rey glanced towards the doors to the Great Hall again, but Poe was nowhere to be seen. She didn't really want him to come back now anyways. "Bathroom break." She answered.

The cheesy pop song that was playing swiftly ended, and the opening bars of a slower song came on. Where was _his_ date? Rey shifted in her seat, awkwardly realizing there was a plate on her lap and placing it on the table behind her.

"Want to dance?"

Rey looked back to Ben, lips parting on their own accord. His face was neutral, as if asking someone that question wasn't nerve wracking at all.

"Okay," Rey said after a moment, standing from her seat and brushing down her dress. _Was this really happening?_

"Can I leave this here?" He asked her, gesturing with his mask towards her chair.

"Yeah, of course," she answered, trying to keep her voice as calm as his. Her heart was already racing in her chest from the anticipation. Hopefully Poe wouldn't mind if she danced while he was gone. And if he did... well, this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. He’d understand.

She followed Ben to a somewhat open space, already imagining hundreds of possible awkward situations in her head, how many ways she could make a total fool of herself by stepping on his toes or tripping over her own feet. They faced each other, and Rey tentatively placed her hands on his broad shoulders.

Ben placed his gloved hands gently on her waist, underneath her oversized jacket. Her heart was pounding now, and she hoped no one else could hear it. There was at least a foot of empty space between them, and Ben smirked as he lightly pulled her closer to him.

"I don't bite," he teased, and Rey already knew the second part of his comment before he said it. "Unless you want me to."

His eyes were joking, _thank the lord_ , or else Rey would've turned even redder than she already was. The implications behind his words were enough to make her whole face flush, and Rey rolled her eyes to hide how flustered she was.

They were much closer now, the closest they'd ever been to each other. Rey could count the little marks on his face is she wanted to. The music playing was actually kind of nice and romantic, and they quickly found an easy flow as they swayed together.

Rey was overly aware of the of the feeling of his hands on her waist, slowly guiding her through the movement of the slow dance, and how the tips of his hair brushed her knuckles. Her brain was in sensory-overload mode, barely processing that she was dancing with Ben Solo.

Their eyes met, and before things got too awkward Ben leaned in to her ear and murmured, "You look good, Rey."

She could feel his warm breath on her skin as he said it, which gave her shivers all over. He pulled back quickly, casually, as if all of this were normal things friends did.

"Thank you," Rey replied, giving him a small smile. "You too." Her friends had said she looked good, but it didn't have quite the same affect that Ben's words did. She believed it when he said it. The look in his dark eyes convinced her of everything he said.

The final notes of the song played through, all too quickly, and before they were forced to break apart and she lost her nerve, Rey quickly leaned in and kissed Ben on the cheek. His skin was pleasantly warm and smooth, but she didn't linger. He smirked anyways as they released each other, eyes twinkling down at her. She already missed the strength of his hands and the warmth radiating off his body. This was by far the highlight of her night, through she'd never tell Ben that. She couldn't even believe she'd just had the impulsivity to kiss his cheek.

"Thanks, Ben. That was really fun," Rey blurted, heart racing way too fast for her to control herself. Her mouth had gone paper dry as they walked back to her chair.

He smiled at her, actually smiled, and Rey found herself smiling back by reflex. _God, he looked good when he smiled_. She didn't even care that he was doing shady stuff with that book. All she wanted to do was to run off to an abandoned corridor and make-out with him. Her hormone-ravaged brain was making her delirious, and Rey didn't even care.

Before she could stupidly suggest such an idea to Ben, Poe arrived back at their seats. His eyes instantly darkened at the sight of Ben, and he put his hands on his hips defensively.

Rey ignored Poe's silent glare and quickly handed Ben back his mask, which was heavier than she'd thought. Ben met her eyes as their hands brushed, but he no longer looked happy like he had before. _Damnit, Poe._

"See you later," Ben said flatly, giving Poe his own icy glare before turning away and disappearing into the crowd of students.

Once Ben was gone Poe instantly rounded on her. "What was he doing over here? Was he bothering you?"

"We danced," Rey murmured, hiding a smile from the memory. She could still feel the ghost-imprint of his hands in her body.

"You _danced_?" Poe asked in confusion.

"And it was amazing.” 

Poe was staring at her like she'd gone crazy, and maybe she had, but Rey wasn't even bothered. The night had started off dull and ended up in fireworks. For once she felt truly happy and carefree. She felt like she could accomplish anything.


	16. Chapter Sixteen- Birthdays

The weekend felt like the blissful aftermath of an amazing dream, and _amazing dreams Rey had._ Her thoughts of Ben were borderline umhealthy, and that was when she knew she truly had a crush on him. Halloween already felt like forever ago, like it'd never happened.

Ben's suspicious actions were still fresh in her mind, but Rey was lost with no direction. She wasn't going to do anything about it until absolutely necessary.

The beginning of November brought on an onslaught of excitement from nearly all of the students, as the first quidditch match of the year, between Gryffindor and Slytherin, was taking place the upcoming weekend. Although she wasn't playing, Rey was still just as excited to attend the game and watch Poe and Ben play against each other. She could already envision the tension in the air, especially since Poe had so blatantly shown his disliking for Ben on multiple occasions. The match was going to be unpredictable and exhilarating.

Monday was a rude awakening from the fairy tale romance that Rey had been dreaming of all weekend. The lessons, assignments, tests, and never-ending supply of homework were back stronger than ever. Rey was idly listening to the Slytherins' quidditch conversation behind her in Defence Against the Dark Arts when it changed to a different subject that piqued her interest.

" _So_ , when's the party?" Hux asked someone at his table. Rey wasn't going to turn around to find out who. She heard the familiar sigh that belonged to Ben, and she could imagine him running an exasperated hand through his hair.

"I'm not having a party," Ben replied flatly.

Rey squinted at her paper. _A party? Were they talking about a quidditch victory party or something?_

"Come on, Ben," Phasma's voice added. "It's your birthday. You have to do _something_." 

 _Birthday? Ben's birthday?_  

Ben was silent for a long moment, and Rey could envision them all shooting glares at each other across the table. "Well, I'm not." Ben insisted. "I have more important shit to do than throw a stupid party."

Someone clicked their teeth disapprovingly, and Hux said, "And I have more important _shit_ to do than get you a present. So _there_.”

The Slytherin table went silent, presumably returning to their work. Rey, however, was now preoccupied with her own rush of thoughts and feelings. She hadn't even known when Ben's birthday was, and she'd never thought to ask him. She still didn't know what day it was on, just that it was coming up, which wasn't all that helpful. All that Rey did know was that she had a new desire to get Ben a birthday present, one that he'd actually appreciate, not just some candies that he'd eat and forget about the next day. No, it had to be something meaningful... _but what?_

Rey spent the remainder of the class trying to think of a creative idea for his present, but came up empty handed. She'd think of something eventually, but for now she needed to be focusing on her classes.

***

It would've been nice to surprise Ben out of the blue with a birthday gift, but Rey needed to know when it was in order to do that. In astronomy class he seemed totally oblivious to the fact that his birthday was coming up. Rey always got extra bubbly and happy in the week prior to her birthday, and that was one reason why her friends never forgot about it. Ben, however... for some reason he was treating his birthday like his death day.

That day they were seated at desks instead of at the telescopes, allowing Rey to easily lean in and communicate things to him since he was her desk partner. They were supposed to be filling out some worksheets, but Rey had finished that long ago and was now idly colouring with her pencil.

"Ben?" She asked softly, and his dark eyes shot up to hers. "Can I ask you something?"

He straightened away from his paper, and Rey could see his neutral expression change into one of suspicion. "...I guess," he said after a moment.

"What day is your birthday on?"

Ben blinked, lips parting as he looked at her. His head started shaking before he even started speaking. "No.”

"What do you mean ' _no_ '?" Rey asked, his reaction already confirming his disliking.

Ben gave her a look. "Whatever you're thinking...just, _no_ , okay?"

She flickered her eyes away, frowning at her paper. "I just want to know when it is," Rey told him, looking up at him through her lashes. "Please?"

Ben stared at her for a moment before deflating, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Thursday," he muttered.

Rey broke out into a smile, and Ben removed his hand to see her reaction before she could hide it. His eyes softened, and Rey was instantly reminded of their dance only a few days ago, the brief feeling of his skin against her lips as she reached up to kiss his cheek. He hadn't pulled away or looked repulsed- _did that mean he was interested or just polite?_

He sighed, shaking his head to himself as he continued working. Rey smiled at her victory, though her brain was going into overload as it stressed over finding Ben a present in two days. She was screwed.

***

Rey spent Tuesday evening studying in the library with Finn and Poe. When they made plans at breakfast, Poe was quick to ask both Rey and Finn to come privately, blatantly keeping Rose out of their hang-out session. It was a tad rude, but as long as Poe was in a better mood she was unbothered. He'd still been caught-up on Finn abandoning their tradition to go to the Halloween dance with Rose.

Rey was still caught-up in what to get Ben for his present. It was giving her legitimate anxiety and stress as the time ticked down and she came up with nothing. She had to resort to her least favourite option in the situation: asking her friends for advice.

"I need help with something," Rey started, casually continuing to fill in an assignment that was due tomorrow in herbology.

"With your herbology homework?" Finn asked, already leaning over the table with a pencil in hand.

Rey gave him a quick smile, shaking her head. "Uh, not that. I need some guy advice."

Poe and Finn shared a quick look of surprise before Poe said, "Shoot." 

"Okay," Rey said, trying to word her question as casually as possible. "What would a guy, who's a... _casual friend_ , want for a birthday present?" 

Poe held his chin up with his hands, tilting his head. "What do you mean _casual friend_?" He asked. "Like, a _romantic_ friend, or a _friend_ friend?"

"Just a normal friend," Rey clarified, though she wished that would change. "What would they want for a present?" 

The boys thought for a moment, and Finn was the first to share his ideas. "What about some candy?" 

Poe nodded. "Can't go wrong with food, man."

Rey shook her head. "Not good enough." She meant it wasn't good enough for Ben, but it may have come across that she was talking about his idea. "Also, I need to get the gift asap. Like, this _week_ asap." 

Finn and Poe were stumped. They suggested things like pen sets, or a spell book, but they seemed to forget that she needed it before the weekend. There weren't any Hogsmeade visits during the week, so Rey was ultimately screwed with any store-bought gifts.

Poe made a sudden noise of discontent in the silence, meeting Rey's eyes with a cruel smirk. "There's your boyfriend." 

"Who?" Finn asked as Rey glanced over her shoulder, spotting Ben enter the library and disappear down one of the distant aisles. She turned back around with a scowl on her face. 

"He's not my boyfriend," She told them stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then why are you getting so defensive?" Poe asked. "Do you like him?"

Rey could feel the tension in the air between them as her mouth stayed firmly closed. Finn just looked curious, but Poe looked outright pissed. If she said yes, he'd be outraged, if she said no, he'd accuse her of lying, and if she said nothing he'd take that as a yes. There were no ways out. 

"What if I do? Is that a problem for you?" 

Poe raised his eyebrows in response, seemingly shocked that she hadn't rejected his question. "N-No...” he said quietly. "I just...Why didn't you tell us earlier?" 

Rey looked between her two best friends, thinking, _there's a lot of things I haven't told you._ She bit her lip, shrugging in response. 

"Is _he_ the casual friend?" Finn asked, speaking for the first time since her confession. He didn't seem nearly as shocked as Poe had.

"Yes," Rey answered honestly. "His birthday's on Thursday and I have no idea what to get him." 

Poe scoffed. "He's a Scorpio. Figures.”

Finn glanced in the direction Ben had disappeared in. "Maybe you should get him something that has to do with his interests. What does he like?" 

Rey grimaced, because she didn't really know. She knew what he disliked: Quidditch, his parents, birthday parties. _But what was he passionate about?_ "I don't know," she told him. 

"Maybe you could tell by what kind of books he's looking at. Assuming they're not for school, of course," Finn suggested.

Her first thought was, _I am not getting him a Dark Arts book_ , but she kept that to herself. "Good idea. I'll go look.” 

Rey quickly got up from her seat, desperate to escape the stifling heat and tension forming at the table. She crossed the library, letting out a deep sigh of hot air once she was out of sight of her friends. She couldn't believe that they'd found out about Ben... 

The library was filled with the quiet murmurs of conversations as Rey moved through the aisles, peering down each one to check if Ben was there. Oddly enough, she found him in the Muggle Studies section again. He was casually walking down the aisle, pulling out books and reading through a few pages before putting them back. Maybe he had an interest in the Muggle world. If so, finding him a present may be easier than Rey had thought.

***

Rey spent her Wednesday evening putting together Ben's gift. She didn't know why she cared so much, but she did. She wanted to make him feel cared about, make him feel special. She wanted to be in his good favour.

In a small cube-shaped box that she'd transfigured, Rey placed a few unimportant photographs she'd happened to have brought with her. They always impressed Finn and Poe, since the picture didn't move. They were just printed out digital ones from her phone of places Rey had visited over the summer break. 

On top she placed the silvery square that was her old but dear iPod shuffle. Rey had brought it with her just in case it worked at Hogwarts, which it did not. Nowadays she listened to all of her music on her phone, so it wasn't something she used anymore. Ben didn't need to know that she'd found it discarded on the side of the street one day in London and decided to scavenge it for herself. 

He wouldn't be able to use it at Hogwarts, of course, but he could use it at home during the Christmas break or over the summer. She attached a pair of black earbuds that she'd carefully cleaned into the audio jack, securing the lid of the box on top. _There. It's perfect._

*** 

Rey bounded into Potions class on Thursday with a racing heart, breaking out into a smile when she spotted Ben already seated at their table. He looked as moody as ever. She sat down beside him, not bothering to hide the happy expression on her face. He looked over at the movement, meeting her eyes with a raised brow.

"Happy Birthday!" Rey exclaimed, forcing herself to not smile so giddily. She just loved birthdays, even if they weren't her own. 

Ben clenched his jaw in response, giving her a tight smile. "...Thanks." 

"Lighten up, Solo," Rey teased, tempted to brush against his sleeved arm but deciding against it. He didn't seem like the person who liked people invading his personal space, although they'd definitely crossed that line at the Halloween dance. Rey wanted to cross that line even further.

The day continued as it normally would, lessons long and strenuous, but eventually passing. Before long it was dinner, and then time for astronomy. Rey still needed to give Ben his gift, but she didn't want to do it in front of other students. She wanted it to feel private, feel special, and she didn't want him to have a biased reaction based on the people watching. Rey formulated a plan in her head before she scooped up her bag and headed to the astronomy tower.

"I have to say, I feel kind of bad that this is the way you're spending your birthday," Rey admitted to Ben as they sat side-by-side against the stone wall of the tower. It was a telescope day, but as per usual, they were both done early and had resorted to talking. 

His head swivelled away from the window to face her, and she revelled in the way his eyes darkened when they met hers. They were sitting barely a foot apart, and it struck Rey that if either of them decided to lean in, they would touch. Her heart fluttered at the thought, but Rey shifted in her spot to squash it down. _Not the time_. 

"It's life," Ben replied with a shrug, flickering his eyes away from her. "Though, this definitely isn't the worst way I could be spending it." His lips twitched as he said it, a distant look in his eyes. 

Rey was more enraptured with Ben than she was with the stars. All she wanted was for him to capture her lips with his, to feel the weight of his body on top of hers, to feel wanted. Her over-active imagination and hormones weren't helping her forget about that dream either.

"Listen," Rey started, lowering her voice so no one else could hear. Ben glanced over at her sudden change in volume, watching her carefully. "You have prefect duty tonight, right?"  He nodded slowly, as if sensing he was entering a trap. "Can you meet me outside of the Ravenclaw common room at 9:30?"

It was so minute, but Rey noticed the slight flush creep onto his pale cheeks, the way he shifted in his spot against the wall beside her. _Had she made him uncomfortable_? 

"If you want," Rey added quickly, not sure of what his silent reaction meant. "I'm not forcing you." 

"I want to," Ben confirmed, holding her gaze. The look in his eyes was puzzling, and Rey couldn't solve what emotion they were showing. She was no good with complicated people like Ben, who bottled up all of their emotions, even though she did the same thing.

Rey realized all too late that he was waiting for her to speak, and she quickly glanced away with heat rushing to her face. "Okay," she responded awkwardly, honestly at a loss for words at this point. His voice was giving her shivers. 

Maz's tired yelling from across the tower signalled that class had ended. Ben stood before Rey did, and he offered his hand down to her. Without hesitation Rey grasped it, allowing him to help her stand. She was almost yanked to her feet by his strength, and she let her hand fall away before things got too weird. Rey felt the imprint of his touch even after she was leaving the classroom and walking down the steps of the astronomy tower. _God, what is happening to me?_

The hour leading up to her meeting time with Ben was one of pacing through the empty bathroom, the dormitory, and the Ravenclaw common room with the gift in her hands. She didn't even know why she was so nervous. It wasn't like she had some grand plan to spill her feelings to him or something. _She was just a friend, giving another friend a birthday present, like normal people did every day. This was normal._

Rey stayed in the common room under the guise of finishing up an assignment due tomorrow, eventually leaving her alone in the spacious room. She thought about inviting Ben inside so he could sit down, but that would be a little too odd. The second 9:30 struck on the golden common room clock, Rey kept up from the couch she was sitting on and stood in front of the door, gripping the handle tightly in her hand before opening it.

The light from the common room lit up her shadow against the stone ground, flooding the area in front of her with warm light. She didn't see anyone around. Rey stepped out into the corridor, sticking a pen in the door so she wouldn't have to answer another stupid riddle to get inside. Moments later, and less than a minute late, Ben appeared out of the shadows. 

Rey was surprised to see he didn't look one ounce of happy, angry if anything. He crossed the distance between them in seconds, obvious suspicion filling his eyes even in the dim light of his wand which he held between them. 

"I don't know what this is, Kenobi." He said, barely leaving her time to think to think before he spoke again, words quiet but harsh. "But this better not be some stunt of yours to get me in trouble." 

Rey was baffled at his suspicions, taking a step away from him to collect her thoughts. "I-This isn't a _stunt_. I don't know what you mean.” 

"Then what is this?" His voice had softened, filled with more of a soft curiosity than anger. "What do you want?" Rey sighed lightly, revealing the gift box that she'd been previously clutching behind her back. 

Ben stared at it with narrowed eyes, shifting his eyes up to her. "What is that?"

"Take it," Rey insisted, holding it out further. It bumped against his chest, and she held it there until he hesitantly held it. The box looked ridiculously small in his hands, and Rey tensed up as he opened it. 

His face was...unreadable. Rey knew she'd placed the photographs at the bottom of the box, but that was what he pulled out first, holding one up to his wand light as if it were fake.

"It doesn't move," he murmured, examining a picture of the London Eye with puzzled eyes. He dropped his hands, returning his attention to her. "You took this?" He asked her, gesturing with the photo in his hand. 

"Yeah," Rey replied, still on edge as he hadn't yet said he actually liked it. "They're Muggle pictures. Thought you'd like them." 

Ben gave the picture another longing look, setting it back down in the box. "I haven't been to London in a long time."

Rey hummed neutrally as he held up the tiny iPod like it was an alien device. That's probably what is was to kids from wizard families, raised without current technology.

"It's called an IPod," Rey explained before he could become too baffled. "You listen to music on it, with these." She pointed towards the earbuds. "It won't work in Hogwarts, but I thought you could use it at home."

His eyes widened as he looked at it, running a thumb over the smooth silver surface. "Jesus, Rey," he muttered. "How much did this cost?" 

"It-uh, was a gift. Awhile ago." She lied. "I listen to music on my phone now, so I don't need it."

Ben's eyes squinted at her last sentence, but he didn't ask. Instead, he moved forward and enveloped Rey in the sweetest hug she'd ever experienced. It was gentle and tentative, but it was still happening. His entire body was so warm, and through her shock she somehow managed to wrap her arms around his back.

"Thank you," he murmured sincerely, slowly breaking away from her. Her whole body felt cold from the sudden absence of his body heat against her. Rey was still in shock that he'd hugged her, out of choice, and it took a few moments for her to answer with coherent words.

"You're welcome," she replied with a small smile, heart racing too fast for her to say much else. "Happy Birthday, Ben."

Moments later distant footsteps sounded from down the hall, and Ben's eyes widened with alarm. " _Shit_. This isn't my corridor."

"Sorry," Rey grimaced, glancing down the hall as she backed up against the entrance of Ravenclaw tower. "You better get going, then." Ben nodded and peered down the hall, but he made no move to get away. "Goodnight," Rey said, snapping him back into reality.

"Goodnight," Ben said, backing away into the shadows. "Thank you." 

Rey watched him hurry down the corridor, and she too re-entered Ravenclaw tower before the Prefects patrolling the halls could get her in trouble.


	17. Chapter Seventeen- Gryffindor V. Slytherin

" _Fuuuuuck_ , I'm stressed," Poe whined during breakfast, anxiously dragging his hands over his face. It was Saturday, and the first quidditch match of the year would be taking place between Gryffindor and Slytherin. The entire school would no doubt be attending.

"Poe, you'll be fine," Rey reassured, giving his shoulder a caring rub. He really didn't have anything to worry about except for winning. "We'll all be there to support you."

Finn and Rose nodded in agreement from their seats across the table, the breakfast foods in their mouths preventing them from speaking their support with words.

Poe gave them a small smile, but his eyes still had the same nervous expression in them. He returned his attention to Rey. "So you'll be cheering for Gryffindor?"

_Shit_. "Uh..." she nervously laughed, pursing her lips. He doesn't need to know about what she’d said to Ben about not choosing sides. "Yeah, sure."

Poe gave her a suspicious look before digging into his pancakes, seemingly forgetting about his anxieties to enjoy his food. Rey took a bite of the crispy bacon on her plate, already feeling excited for the quidditch match to come later that day.

***

The atmosphere in the air of the quidditch pitch stands were buzzing with excitement. Rey was already on the edge of her seat and the game hadn't even started yet. Her previous prediction of the entire school showing up had been correct- the stands were filled to the brim with both students and teachers. These were the moments Rey knew she was going to miss the most, when all of the Hogwarts students were together as a community. Although divided by their houses, all of the students came together as one when watching a quidditch match. Well, mostly.

Slytherins and Gryffindors had never been the closest of friends, and that fact was evident by the separation of colours in the stands. The Slytherins were clad in green and the Gryffindors in red. Rey had put on a red scarf to make Poe happy before she saw him off, and had kept it on due to the chilly November breeze. Finn was sitting to her left, wearing a fuzzy red hat on his head, and Rose was sitting to her right with a small Gryffindor flag in her hand. Rey felt a little guilty that she was secretly cheering for two sides at once... yet she didn't really want the Slytherins to win either. Their egos were already inflated too inflated for their own goods, and this quidditch win against their rival house would only make them more arrogant.

The seats the group had scored were fairly decent, in the centre and high enough in the air that they were almost level with the players. Rey had equal vantage points of both sides of the field, which would mean the best possible viewing experience.

Finn leaned into Rey to speak. "I feel more nervous than Poe was," he admitted, rubbing his hands together for warmth.

"I know," Rey replied, feeling her own heart flutter in her chest. There was a certain risk-taking appeal to actually being present during a live match. So many things could go wrong, and it was always unpredictable. The noise of the crowd suddenly surged, and Rey nudged Finn excitedly. "Oh, I think it's starting!"

Surely enough, the players of both the Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch teams were entering the field from opposite sides, and the crowd was reacting accordingly. Rey whooped along with Finn and Rose, watching as the players rose high into the air on their brooms. One player from each team met in the centre of the pitch, and when Rey squinted hard enough she could see it was the captains, Poe and Hux.

Her eyes flickered away from their conversation to the Slytherin team, where she could just make out Ben's face in the air among the sea of green. His face looked stoic and focused from what she could see, staring straight ahead without speaking a word to his teammates. He was in it to win it. Rey suddenly dreaded playing against him.

The captains returned to their sides, and before long someone was blowing a whistle and the game was starting.

The match was filled with tension, and the heated looks the players shared in the air did nothing to dispel it. Gryffindor was the first to score- by none other than Poe, but Slytherin was quick to strike back. Their points were neck in neck as they climbed higher, and by then it was obvious that whichever team caught the snitch would win the game.

Ben and the Gryffindor seeker were on opposite sides of the field, circling around as they searched for the golden snitch. The pressure to win for their team was on...

Gasps and excited shouts rose up from the crowd in a surge, and Finn was quick to point out that the Gryffindor seeker had sped up tremendously, flying higher into the air.

Rey didn't even dare to blink as she watched the person climb higher and higher into the clouds, quickly pursued by Ben who had caught on to their discovery. The spectators had gone dead silent as even the chasers stopped flying to watch the seekers.

She gripped onto the sleeve of Finn's puffy coat, holding her breath as the seekers crashed into one another in their race for the snitch. No one fell off of their broom, but it was enough to send a wave of anxiety through Rey's veins. The interruption barely lasted, as both seekers were zooming across the field moments after the crash.

The commentator was spewing out words at this point, but it was just background noise as everyone focused their attention to the seekers. Moments later, in climactic twits through the air, the Gryffindor seeker caught the golden snitch. The person proudly held their closed fist above their head, breaking into a smile as the rest of the Gryffindor team surrounded them.

All of the students supporting Gryffindor were screaming and whooping with joy, Rey, Finn, and Rose included. They stood from their seats, clapping and smiling as the Gryffindor Team embraced in the air near the centre of the field. Rey saw a sullen Ben moving away from them, where he'd been so close to catching the snitch and winning for his team. The Slytherins did _not_ look happy, especially Hux, who looked the most pissed she'd ever seen him. As Ben returned to his team she could see Hux's face scrunch up in a snarl, no doubt biting his head off for failing. The same emotion grew on Ben's face, but with more anger than irritation.

The excitement in the crowd had died down as people caught on to the argument. Ben and Hux had gotten threateningly close to each other, pointing fingers and exchanging insults, from what it looked like. It didn't take long for a Professor to intervene, splitting the boys up before things got physical. It was odd, but Rey kind of wanted to see Ben get into a fight. It was something to do with the masculinity, the control, the power, if not just the desire to see Hux get punched in the face. Ben could surely break the redhead like a toothpick with the muscular arms he was hiding underneath his sweater.

With the game over, the stands slowly filed out. The group of friends met Poe on the edge of the pitch, who was still dressed in his sweaty quidditch robes as he giddily embraced all of them.

"Congratulations!" Rey told him, giving him an extra pat on the back. He deserved this win more than anyone.

Poe shot them all a charming smile, clearing his throat. "You're all cordially invited to the victory party in the Gryffindor common room tonight at seven o'clock," he announced with feigned professionalism.

"We'll be there," Finn answered for himself and Rose, and Rey was quick to agree. If one thing was for sure, it was that the Gryffindors threw one _hell_ of a party.

"Mind if I bring a guest?" Rey asked Poe, a certain someone in her mind.

He gave her a knowing look, clenching his jaw. "You want to bring an enemy to my victory party? Did you not just see what happened?"

" _Poe_ ," Rey chided. "He's my friend, and I would..." she searched for the right word. " _Appreciate_ , if you support our friendship."

Poe rolled his eyes with exasperation, shrugging his shoulders as he gave in. "Fine, Fine. Bring your boyfriend." Rey glared at him. "Let's just hope he doesn't cause a scene."

"He won't," She promised, beginning to smile because Poe had ended up accepting her wishes. "Thanks, friend."

"You're welcome, friend," Poe replied flatly, though Rey could see he wasn't truly annoyed. "I'm gonna go celebrate with my winning team. Catch you guys later.”

"Bye, Poe," Rey said, watching him walk merrily towards his waiting team members. That was one barrier down, but there was still one to go.

***

It was very unlikely for Rey to run into Ben during the weekend, so she had resorted to her only option: asking him in public.

Lunch was a busy time in the great hall, for which Rey was grateful and ungrateful for at the same. There would be more Slytherins around to harass her, but also more Slytherins around to block out others from hearing her voice. Either way, she had a mission, and she was going to accomplish it.

Rey weaved between the house tables, passing the quiet Ravenclaw table that she'd only eaten at a handful of times to reach the Slytherin one. Luckily, she appeared inconspicuous as she walked between the tables, eyes searching for a dark swath of black hair in the crowd. Her eyes finally landed on Ben, and her heart hammered anxiously when she saw Hux sitting beside him. Rey contemplated giving up on asking Ben to go with her to the party, but for some reason he glanced over his shoulder and locked his onto her. _Too late now._

Rey didn't miss a beat, striding towards him before her brain could convince her she was being stupid. She reached Ben in seconds, pausing a foot away from him and placing a casual hand on her hip.

"Hey," she greeted, fighting to keep her voice smooth as Hux looked up at her with a glare.

Ben glanced towards Hux before looking back up at her, searching her face. "Is there something you needed?"

_Asshole_. Rey straightened further, lightly clearing her throat before she spoke. "There is, actually."

She heard a few Slytherins sitting nearby sputter on their drinks and give her surprised glances. Rey shifted her haze off of Ben to look at them, surprised to see them nudging each other underneath the table. When she looked towards Ben again, she made an effort to keep any flirtiness out of her voice.

"Can you meet me outside of the great hall in a few minutes?"

Ben swallowed thickly, eyes still unsure of her intentions. "I can come now," he answered, standing from the bench and returning their height difference to its normal state.

"Great," She said quietly, trying to ignore the voices of people saying ' _get it Ben_ ' and ' _that's our boy_ '. He trailed behind her as Rey made her way out of the great hall, not looking back as she went. The volume level was tremendously lower in the corridor outside, few students moving around during the lunch hour.

"Stealing me away again?" Ben asked her before she could speak, crossing his arms over his chest.

Rey smirked back, casually smoothing down her shirt. "I was wondering..." All of the confidence in her voice was suddenly gone, and she fought for it to return. "If you wanted to, uh, attend the quidditch party with me tonight?"

Ben blinked at her, eyebrows raised ever so slightly at her offer. "Are you sure they're going to let me in there?"

"Yeah, I checked with Poe," Rey replied, trying to sound casual again. "I thought it'd be fun. Help you get..." she shrugged. "Relaxed."

"Relaxed?" Ben asked, voice dropping down. "What if I like the tension?”

Rey was left wordless, sensing her face flush red at his words. She opened her mouth to retort something just as smart back, but ended up shrugging instead when nothing came out.

"Uh, _well_ , I'm sure you'll still be just as tense around the Gryffindors anyway." She knew that wasn't the inclinations behind his words, but she would do anything to divert the tension growing between _them_.

"If you're so desperate for me to come, then I guess I'll have to," He said smugly, still an ounce of sexual innuendo in his words, which they were both aware of.

"I guess you will," Rey replied, tilting her head. She already felt awkward from all this talk between them. "I'll see you there."

Ben smirked crookedly. "Wear something tight. And pretty."

_He was going to be the death of her. She knew it_. Rey laughed nervously to dispel the tension growing between them again, shoving her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

"We'll see," She said with a sheepish smile, slowly backing away from him. "Goodbye, Ben."

"See you tonight," he said.

And just like that, he was walking away down the corridor.

***

Poe was guarding the entrance to the Gryffindor common room when Rey arrived, welcoming the fairly large group of people lined up down the hall who were attempting to get in on the fun. He grinned when he spotted her, immediately helping her step through the portrait hole entrance.

"Have fun!" Poe shouted over the noise of people talking. "And stay safe!" He added with a wink. Rey gave him an annoyed glare, shaking her head to herself as she entered the common room.

She'd seen it from the corridor on multiple occasions, but never had the pleasure of being inside. It was a cosy room, decorated with scarlet carpets and a golden portrait of a lion hanging above the fireplace. There were many couches and someone had been thoughtful enough to set up a table with drinks and snacks. Rey slowly made her way over to it, feeling overcrowded with all of the people who had shown up. The Gryffindor common room was definitely not meant for people from all of the houses to be standing in it at once.

Rey poured herself a red solo cup of punch that looked much better than the horrible sugar-high the Halloween punch had been. She nearly spilled juice all over the table when she felt a sudden hand resting on her lower-back.

" _Jesus_!" Rey exclaimed, quickly setting down the pitcher to turn and face whoever had touched her. The hand dropped as she met Ben's eyes, who was now standing beside her. Rey blinked, heart still pounding from the surprise. She plastered on a small smile as she took him in. "Hey, Ben."

"Did I scare you?" He asked with a smile, glancing down to her cup where she'd almost made an embarrassing mess all over the place. She almost shuddered at the thought.

"Never," Rey replied smoothly, carefully placing her own punch on the table to pour Ben a cup. She passed it to him, and couldn't resist making the pun. "A _Solo_ for a Solo."

Ben took the cup and sipped it with a confused look, keeping his eyes locked on hers. Once he swallowed he said, "What?"

_Not a wizard thing then_. "Oh, there's a company that makes cups like this that's named Solo. That's all."

"Is there?" Ben asked mildly, taking another drink. He surveyed the Gryffindor common room, eyes flickering across it. "I have to admit, it's not as impressive as I presumed."

Rey took a sip from her own drink to stop herself from laughing at his fancy word usage. She shrugged in response, also glancing around. "It has its quirks. I'm sure it's much more lively than yours."

Ben raised his eyebrows, retorting, "Ours is a lot more comfortable." 

Rey almost choked on her punch, not so casually breaking out into coughing fit. _Fuck me._ Ben was staring at her, which didn't help one bit. After a few moments he lightly patted her shoulder, more jokingly than anything.

"You okay, kid?" He asked with amusement in his eyes.

Rey finally got control of herself, enough to stop coughing and give Ben a look, which caused him to drop his hand. "I'm older than you," she retorted, dramatically counting the months on her fingers and holding it up to him. "By _five_ months and everything."

Ben licked his lips, eyes shifting down from her hand to her eyes. "You're an Aries?"

"... _Yes_."Rey replied, waiting for his inevitable comment.

The corners of his lips twitched into a smirk. "I could tell."

_There it is._ Rey scoffed, "What is that supposed to mean?" Ben started chuckling, and she found herself resisting a smile at the genuine sound of amusement.

"Come on, you've read all those stupid astrology things before," he teased. "It's mostly bullshit, but there's some stuff that's true."

Rey hummed in agreement, finishing off her cup of punch. She had been so consumed with their conversation that she hadn't even realized that at least twenty more people had joined the party. The noise level was slowly but surely raising as more people got introduced and started talking. Ben pulled her attention back to him when his deep voice starting speaking closer to her ear.

"Are Gryffindor parties always like this?" He'd definitely gotten a little closer than before, but Rey told herself it was due to the decreasing amount of space in the room and the increasing noise level.

"I wouldn't know," Rey admitted. "Poe likes to keep these things Gryffindor exclusive. Until now, I guess," she added, glancing around the room. Things were getting a little out of hand and she hoped no teachers would be forced to intervene because of the noise. It’s not like they would get in trouble, since most of the older students were involved, but it wouldn’t look good.

"Can we go over there?" Ben asked her, forced to raise his voice as the volume of the party temporarily surged as someone did something stupid. Rey nodded instead of yelling back, following Ben through the crowd of students to the edge of the room, where there were fewer people bustling about.

They faced each other, and for the first time Ben seemed to take in her outfit. He'd told her to wear something ' _tight and pretty_ ', but Rey didn't pack a whole diverse wardrobe into her suitcase! She'd gotten away with black leggings and a fancy-ish shirt that did cling tight to her small frame. Ben's gaze openly roamed over her, and Rey was going to remind him that they were in _public_ before his eyes snapped back to hers. _Boys_.

"So tell me," he started, leaning one shoulder against the wall. "Why did you invite me here?"

Rey ran her tongue along the back of her teeth she thought of how to respond. This felt like one of those trick questions that didn’t have a correct answer. It felt like a trap. A few moments later she replied, "I enjoy your company."

"Do you?" Ben's voice was dangerously low, and he was definitely leaning in closer to her. Rey was trying not to have an internal panic attack, mentally preparing herself for what was to come. Her heart was hammering in her chest so loudly she swore Ben must be hearing it.

"Most of the time," She murmured, fighting to keep her voice level. Ben was so close as he leaned in further, lightly tilting his head and-

"Hey, Re - Oh."

Rey closed her eyes and gritted her teeth so she wouldn't _kill_ whoever had interrupted this moment. She already recognized the voice- it was Finn. When she opened her eyes, Ben was notably farther away from her, looking distant and irritated. Rey whipped around to face Finn, who was grimacing with Rose beside him.

They were frozen in place, and Rose was the first to speak. "I'm so sorry, Rey," she said quietly, giving Ben a tentative glance. "We just wanted to- you know what, it's not important. We'll be by the punch table."

"Okay.” Rey responded quietly, giving them a tight smile. Finn and Rose promptly moved away towards the drinks, leaving Rey alone with Ben once again. The moment, if there used to be one, was ruined. Her heart raced even faster as she realized that he was going to _kiss_ her. _Oh, how badly she wanted that to happen_. “Sorry about that," Rey sighed awkwardly, keeping her eyes down on the floor. She could _die_ right now.

"It's okay," Ben replied, though it sounded more like a reflexive answer instead of a genuine one. His jaw was set, and his eyes were no longer dangerous and flirty. Rey withheld a sigh that was threatening to come out, squeezing her hands into fists at her sides.  _Why, Finn, why?_


	18. Chapter Eighteen- Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Thank you for all of your very lovely comments, and for reading. Some interesting things are going to be happening in the next update ;) Enjoy!

Knowing that someone you like was interested in you was a thrilling feeling, especially for Rey, who'd never experienced anything remotely like the situation she was in now. Ben had been _seconds_ away from kissing her at the quidditch party, and if Finn and Rose hadn't accidentally interrupted them, it would have been... amazing. Ben held so much intensity and passion simmering underneath the surface, which Rey translated into being a really good kisser, though she wouldn't know. She hoped she could still find out.

Potions class was only slightly awkward. They kept their talking to a minimum, though Rey was still just as distracted by his little movements and mannerisms. She couldn't stop thinking about how close they'd come to kissing yesterday.

She brewed another successful potion, but not as good as Ben's, who won Snoke's many praises. The more she paid attention, the more Rey saw the hints behind their shady dealings with that dark arts book. They had an odd relationship, like Snoke was Ben's mentor or something. She was still on the lookout for anymore evidence. Accusing the headmaster's nephew of such a crime would not end well without solid proof.

***

Rose was extremely apologetic in charms class, a permanent look of guilt on her face.

“I'm so sorry about last night. Finn is such an idiot sometimes!"

Rey clicked her tongue in agreement, shrugging her shoulders. "It's not his fault."

"They..." Rose glanced around the class to see if anyone was listening. "They told me who you liked."

Rey blinked at her, letting out an unsurprised sigh. "I don't mind that you know. They just should have asked me first." Rose nodded. "It's personal, you know?"

"Of course," Rose agreed. "Anyway, that's why I feel super bad. Because he was _definitely_ about to kiss you!"

Rey groaned, running her hands over her face. "I know," she breathed. _Don’t remind me._ " _Ugh_."

"It was like watching a movie!" Rose gushed. "Ben looked _so_ into it."

Rey looked over her shoulder, but none of the students in the class looked like they were eavesdropping.

"Really?" She asked Rose in disbelief. The thought made her entire body warm and shivery at the same time.

"Definitely. You have to get with that before it's too late."

Rey raised an eyebrow, cracking a smile as Rose smiled back at her.

***

The astronomy tower was chilly with a mid-November breeze, and Ben had finally convinced Rey to let him close the window because it was ' _too cold_ '. She‘d agreed, but at this point it felt like a staple of their friendship to argue and disagree with each other. It was easier to exchange quips than talk about their real problems.

She could feel his eyes on her, watching and thinking and whatever else he was hiding in his head. Rey shamelessly glanced over at him, quirking a brow.

Ben leaned against the wall of the tower, hands in his pockets.

"The Gryffindors may have beaten us last time, but we're definitely beating the Ravenclaws next month." He said confidently.

Rey looked up at him through her lashes, unimpressed. "You really think so, huh?" 

His devilishly handsome eyes sparkled in the moonlight, sending flutters to her heart.

"I know so, Kenobi." 

"What makes you so confident? It's not like you caught the snitch last time." She quipped.

Ben's eyes hardened at the memory, and he crossed his arms over his chest protectively. "Because I don't stop until I get what I want," he told her. "And I want to _win_." 

" _Damn_ ," Rey murmured, eyebrows raising as she glanced away. "Well, I want to win too. And I have liquid luck on my side."

Ben's face went from amused to serious in a split second. "You're really gonna use it for that?" He asked immediately, facial expression saying he wasn't impressed, but the subtle alarm rising in his voice signalling that he was distressed at her advantage. Her lips twitched into a wicked smile from his reaction. 

"Why, are you worried?" Rey asked, completely disregarding her worksheet at this point. Both of their gazes were fire, burning into the other's soul with such a hot intensity it made her heart pound in her chest.

"You're a devil," Ben murmured lowly, sending shivers down her spine. His eyes were dark. _And you're a monster._

"Then I guess I'll see you in hell," Rey replied with a wink, throughly enjoying the way he clenched his jaw to hide his amusement. 

***

"So, how are things with the brooding boyfriend going?" Poe asked Rey during breakfast one morning.

She froze mid-chew, looking over at him with confusion plastered across her face. It slowly dawned on her that they knew about her desires with Ben. 

Rey quickly swallowed, wiping her mouth with a napkin to give her time to think of what to say.

"Uh...I don't know, fine?" She answered. "Nothing's happened." 

" _Darn_ ," Poe muttered, stabbing a piece of bacon with his fork. "I was looking forward to some gossip."

"My love-life isn't gossip, Poe," Rey chided in annoyance, looking across the table to Finn and Rose for support. "Right?"

"Right," Rose agreed with a smile, quick to support her fellow female friend. She looked to Finn and nudged him in the ribs. "Finn?" 

He shifted his eyes from Rose, to Poe, to Rey. "Right," he finally agreed, glancing down to the table.

Poe scoffed in irritation, shifting on the bench. "Fine. Fine." He shifted his eyes onto Rey. "You win." 

Rey frowned at him. "Don't be petty. If something happens, you'll be the first to know, okay?" 

Poe seemed satisfied at that, instantly snapping back to his normal charming self. "Great," he replied, returning to his meal. Rey sighed to herself and did the same. 

"Wait-" Poe said suddenly, holding up a hand. "Aren't you playing quidditch against him in a few weeks?" 

"Unfortunately, yes." Rey answered, keeping her eyes down on her food.

She didn't want to think about facing off against Ben. The competitiveness, the intensity... it would make or break a relationship. Playing quidditch against the Gryffindor team was tough since Poe was on it, but it was easy to forget about him since they played different positions. She and Ben would he pitted right against each other as seekers. Rey didn't want her competitiveness to get out of control.

"That's gonna be really tense," Finn commented, giving Rey a look from across the table.

"...I guess," Rey said after awhile, pushing around crumbs on her plate. "I'm not going to be letting him distract me, though. I'm using my liquid luck." 

A collective gasp echoed around the table. Everyone's eyebrows seemed to raise in appreciation. 

"Wow," Finn said, giving Rey an easy smile and then squinting as he thought. "Doesn't' that count as cheating, though?" 

 _Shit_. "I never thought of that..." Rey murmured.

The metal of her fork dug painfully into her skin as she clutched it in her hand. Ben would be delighted, she was sure.

“I hope not." She said to the group. _I need it_ , is what she was thinking and not saying aloud. She was confident in her abilities, but was she better than Ben? She wouldn't know until she played against him, and that was a dangerous guessing game. 

"You'll still be able to beat those Slytherins," Poe sneered, giving Rey a rough clap on the shoulder. She held in a yelp. "You're way better than them, trust me. Snakes are meant to slither. Eagles are meant to fly."

Rey wanted to believe him. She truly did, yet there was that sinking feeling deep inside her that said she wasn't good enough, that she was never meant to go to Hogwarts and become a wizard. She was just Rey, no one from nowhere, an orphan. This was all a mistaken gift she didn't deserve. 

"Thanks, Poe." Rey said anyways, giving his arm a gentle pat. He met her eyes with a confident smile, no doubt believing every single one of his own words. If her friends could have this much faith in her, why couldn't she?

***

It was during Potions class the next week that Rey decided to ask Snoke about the vial of _felix felicis_ he'd gifted her for brewing the best potion. She desperately wanted to use it for the upcoming quidditch match against Slytherin, but needed to know more information before she tipped back the mysterious substance. She was supposed to have already asked Snoke with Finn the night of the Halloween dance, but Snoke and Ben's shady dealings got in the way of that. 

Rey approached his old wooden desk, lightly asking, "Professor?"

Snoke looked up at her from where he'd been grading assignments, and Rey hid a reflexive cringe as she saw a circled _F_ on one of the pages.

"What is it, Miss Kenobi?"

"I have a few questions about the liquid luck.”

Snoke clicked his tongue, as if remembering what he'd given to her as a prize and regretting it. "Go on." 

"Okay," Rey started. “First, I'd like to know if I'm allowed to use it during a quidditch match?"

Snoke looked throughly unimpressed, shuffling his stack of marked assignments as he spoke. "You can use it whenever you wish, Miss Kenobi. It is impossible to test for in the bloodstream. No one will know except for you." 

Rey held back a pleased smile, holding her hands behind her back. "Great," she replied, and Snoke looked up at the happiness in her voice.

His eyes were ice. "The potion will not guarantee your win," he said confidently, and Rey remembered that it was _his_ house's quidditch team she was facing off against. "It doesn't guarantee anything.”

"Of course," Rey agreed, though deep down she was feeling the familiar sense of dread again. _It wouldn't guarantee her win?_ "Also, does it have any distracting side-effects?" 

Snoke looked like he was resisting an eye-roll at her questions. "You have a Potions textbook, do you not, Miss Kenobi?"

 “Yes..."

"All of the side-effects are listed there." 

He was shamelessly brushing her away, but Rey didn't want to spend any extra time in her Potions professor's presence anyways.

"Thank you, Professor," she said, giving him a tight smile before heading back to her desk. Ben's eyes were down on his own paper, but by the way he was working his jaw, she could tell he'd been listening. Their desk was one of the closest to Snoke's, so she could hardly blame him for eavesdropping, but it was still... _annoying? Irritating? No..._

Rey found she didn't really mind Ben watching her. There was a certain appeal to the secret glances, the hidden desires behind snarky words and heated gazes. The thought of him watching her do _other_ activities both sent a rush of heat to her core and her face, and Rey quickly batted the images away before they swarmed her mind. She was fantasizing again, which she knew wasn't good. Not in public during Potions class, at least. 

Once her body had almost returned to its resting state, Rey slid her textbook in front of her and skimmed through the table of contents until she saw _felix felicis._ She flipped through the pages, acutely aware of Ben glancing at her movements from his seat beside her. Rey didn't look up at him. 

The side effects listed in the textbook were lengthy and complete with many paragraphs of unnecessary information, as per usual. They included occasional giddiness, dizziness, aloofness, recklessness, and over-confidence, to name a few. The side-effects were only supposed to take place if the drinker used too much of the potion, so Rey hoped the dose Snoke had given her was appropriate.

She leaned back in her chair, sneaking a glance at Ben. He happened to meet her eyes at the same moment, and Rey felt the familiar heat his presence brought fill her body. She glanced away first, toying with a page of her textbook until he spoke first. But he didn't.

Ben reached across onto Rey's side of the table, arm brushing lightly against her chest as he slid her textbook closer to himself so he could read it. It was an accidental touch, but it didn't stop her throat from going annoyingly dry for no reason. His eyes flickered over the side-effects of the potion, forefinger rubbing against his thumb as he read.

After a few long moments he slid the textbook back to her side of the desk, meeting her eyes. 

"Good luck with that," He murmured, lips twitching into a mischievous smirk. _Classic Ben._  

Rey let out a small sigh, lightly shaking her head at him.

" _Thanks_ ," She responded sarcastically, with all of the fake mirth his comment had held. He might not believe she could pull off playing quidditch with the use of liquid luck, but she was determined to be successful. She was determined to win, to prove herself to him as a worthy competitor. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen- Felix Felicis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a ~special~ chapter containing a moment a lot of you have been waiting for! I hope you all enjoy, and thank you again for all of your amazing support.

"Bottoms up," Rey muttered to herself, bringing the tiny vial of _Felix Felicis_ to her lips and tipping her head back. The contents of the clear potion slid down her throat as easily as water, strangely flavourless and cool. She swallowed firmly, examining the now empty vial in the thin rays of sunlight streaming through the open window of the dormitory. 

It was the first saturday of December. Snow had yet to start falling, but the light grey clouds hanging in the sky were an ominous setting for the quidditch match planned later in the day.  Ravenclaw versus Slytherin. Rey versus Ben, for the entire school to watch with rapt attention

She didn’t feel any different than she had before she took the potion. If anything, she felt more tired, not more lucky. The description in the textbook had said the effects of the potion were supposed to take place immediately after drinking. Now she thought about it, her stomach _was_ starting to feel a little queasy... maybe it was just the nerves. It was the nerves.

Rey dressed herself in ordinary day clothes, a white-t-shirt and jeans and set out her freshly-washed quidditch uniform on her bed for the afternoon. She bounded down the stone steps of the dormitories, entering the Ravenclaw common room to way too many people waiting for her.

“Rey!” Jess exclaimed, stepping forward and embracing her in a tight squeeze. “How’s our best seeker feeling?” Rey lightly pulled the Captain away, giving her a nervous smile.

“Excited,” She answered, eyes shifting away to the other members of her quidditch team. “Is everyone ready?” Rey called to them with a more genuine smile.

They all nodded and smiled, calling back reassures. The sight of her happy team members was enough to alleviate most of her stress, as well as the strange churning she felt in her body. Rey felt like her nerves were singing with energy, and she blamed it on the _Felix Felicis_ for heightening her senses.

“Let’s go to breakfast,” Jessika suggested, lightly urging Rey out of the common room along with the team. Rey considered telling Jess about the potion she’d taken, but she decided to keep it to herself. It felt like a secret- even though her friends already knew. And Ben too.

Rey automatically stepped towards the Hufflepuff table once they entered the Great Hall, but Jess pulled her back with a pointed look.

“You’re eating with your team today, Rey,” she ordered with smile, and Rey obliged once the rest of her team-members peer pressured her with happy grins. Finn, Poe, and Rose might wonder where she went, but she’d still see them before the game. Finn and Poe had always come to see her off before her quidditch matches, another one of their traditions that she hoped they wouldn’t break.

Rey followed her team to the Ravenclaw table, and oddly enough her gaze fastened onto Ben, who was sitting at the Slytherin table surrounded by his own team. Rey’s face was quick to break out into a genuine smile, and puzzlement flashed over his face as he saw her expression.

“Hello Ben,” She sai cheerily, the words easily flowing from her mouth before her brain could even register them as thoughts. Rey impulsively brushed her hand over his sleeved shoulder as she passed by, silently enjoying the way his cheeks burned crimson and the way his eyes followed her every movement. _Why did I do that?_

The touch burned her hand, but she barely felt it. Rey felt all light and airy as Ben smirked at her with wonder in his eyes, and she kept her gaze forward as she found an empty seat with her team. She felt like she could run a 5k marathon or have a full-on make-out session with someone at the same time, preferably Ben. Rey had never felt so attentive to every little detail, so in-the-moment. She felt like every decision she made would have have sort of impact on how her day was going. It must’ve been because of the potion...

“Hey, pay attention!” Jess called to the team chasers, who were the farthest away from her. She returned her address to the entire group. “Make sure you _all eat something._ I don’t care if you’re not hungry, I will _not_ have unenergized players on my team! Understood?” The team members all nodded, placing stacks of breakfast food on their empty plates.

Rey had forgotten how uptight Jessika got before quidditch matches. You could hardly blame her- being the Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team was not an easy job, especially in an upcoming game against Slytherin. At least Hux didn’t discriminate- he was an asshole to everyone, including Jess.

”Jess,” Rey called from across the table. The Ravenclaw Captain snapped her head towards her, raising her eyebrows in question. “You don’t need to worry. Even if we don’t win today, we’ll all still value you as a Captain.”

Jessika’s eyebrows raised even higher on her tan forehead before falling into a confused expression. “Thanks?” She responded, tilting her head at Rey. “What’s got _you_ all philosophical today?”

_Liquid luck._ She almost said it aloud, but stopped herself at the last moment. “I’m just feeling lucky.” Rey answered.

Jess nodded, giving Rey a small smile. “No pressure on you either,” She insisted. “But do make sure you eat some breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day!”

“Don’t have to ask me twice!” Rey replied with a laugh, piling some scrambled eggs on her plate. The Great Hall was alive with the atmospheric noise of hundreds of students, talking and laughing and clattering their utensils against their plates. She could feel it running through her veins - today was going to be a special day.

***

“So? How does it feel?” Poe asked her as their group headed to lunch. Finn and Rose were listening with rapt attention, the mention of the potion instantly piquing their interest.

”It feels...” Rey trailed off, shrugging as she thought of how to describe the feelings she was experiencing. “It feels strange.”

”That’s not very specific, Peanut,” Finn teased, tossing her an easy smile.

Rey threw up her hands. “Sorry if I’m not the best with words. It’s indescribable, really,” Poe shot her an _are you kidding me_ look, and Rey sheepishly smiled. “It’s true.”

”Has anything else lucky happened to you today?” Rose interjected.

”I’m not sure.” Rey answered honestly. “I hope _Felix_ is saving all of his luck for the match.”

Poe instantly nodded. “Me too. I can’t _wait_ to see you kick Slytherin’s ass..”

The conversation continued around the subject of the Slytherins, with Poe passionately explaining each player’s weaknesses and strengths. Rey nodded along, but she wasn’t really listening. She almost felt drunk- like anything she did or said could be excused with the potion she’d taken. Rey felt completely out of it, and she hoped that her brain would be able to pull itself together and focus during the quidditch match.

***

Rey paced around inside of the Ravenclaw team tent, feeling strangely calm. It was unnerving, like the calm before the storm. She could hear the rumbling buzz of the crowd in the stands outside, vibrating through the earth and the air. _The entire school. Watching her play quidditch_. It should be utterly nerve wracking, and normally it was, but today Rey felt no anxiety whatsoever in her system. 

“Rey, you’re making me so nervous,” Jess complained, firmly planting her handson Rey’s shoulders and freezing her in place. “Calm down.”

”I’m not nervous,” Rey said simply, giving Jess a smile. “And you shouldn’t be either. Remember what I said earlier, about how-“

”Yes, yes, I remember!” Jess interjected holding up her hands. She gave Rey a puzzled once-over. “You’re acting _very_ strangely today. Did you take something?”

Rey pressed her lips together. “Take something?”

”You know what, it’s too late to do anything about it now anyways,” Jess sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Just keep your head in the game.”

Rey frowned, ready to defend herself when the professor refereeing entered the tent and told everyone it was time to start the game. 

“Alright, team!” Jess called to everyone in the tent. “This is the time to absolutely _slaughter_ Slytherin’s ass. We can do this.” The Captain stuck her hand out, prompting the rest of the team to follow suit. “Ravenclaw, on three. _One, two, three-“_

_”Ravenclaw!_ ” The team shouted, giving each other reassuring smiles as they moved in to their entrance line formation. Rey bounced on the heels of her feet, hiding a smile at the thought of Finn, Poe, and Rose all huddled together in the crowded stands outside, wrapped in blue and silver Ravenclaw merchandise. This was the moment to let the potion do it’s work.

The line started moving much faster than Rey would’ve liked, but she had no choice but to follow her team onto the quidditch pitch, broomstick grasped tightly in her hand. The grass was crispy with clear frost on the verge of melting, shimmering like shed teardrops in the sunlight. It was December, after all.

Rey stopped in her place, facing the opposite side of the quidditch pitch. The Slytherins were  arranging themselves in order, and Rey could just make out the tallest figure as Ben when she squinted. She hadn’t even wished him good luck. _What was the point, when she’d drank a potion that granted exactly that._

She shifted her eyes onto the grass in front of her shoes, staring at the green until the crowd was cheering and erupting with cheers for their favourite team. Her friends were impossible to spot in the stands that consisted of every single student and teacher in the school, but she imagined them doing the same. Rey let the energy of the students be her pulse as a teacher blew a whistle to single everyone into the air.

The breeze was pleasantly cool as Rey kicked into the air, eternally glad that she’d tied her hair back into her three-bun style. She rose higher and higher into the air, eyes flickering over each of her teammates as the teacher flew into the air with the quaffle in their arms. Jess and Hux, both chasers, met in the middle, giving each other death stares as the toss-up took place.

Rey quickly averted her eyes to the small box on the ground below her, where another teacher was releasing the bludgers and the golden snitch. The flying ball of gold that was her responsibility to catch fluttered high into the air within seconds, glittering in the sun. 

The game was already in motion. It was a flash of people whizzing around, the chasers throwing the quaffle to each other, the beaters protecting them, the keepers defending their hoops. Rey moved out of their way, rising higher into the air so she could get a better vantage point. She didn’t care where Ben was, or what he was doing. He was a distraction, and she was sure he’d try to use that to his advantage.

Rey had been gripping her broomstick tightly with both hands, and promptly relaxed on her broomstick as she realized it. _Keep calm, keep focused. Eyes on the game._

Ravenclaw had a comfortable lead for the first thirty minutes, the chasers scoring with everything they had to get ahead. The Slytherins, however, were not content to be losing, and attacked back with all of their force. It wasn’t long before the scores were neck-and-neck, with Ravenclaw only a few points up.

Now would be the perfect time to catch the snitch. Rey had been carefully searching for the entirety of the game, circling the field and scanning the air with unblinking eyes, but the snitch was nowhere to be seen. The stupid thing was never easy to find.

She was acutely aware of Ben mirroring her actions on the opposite side of the quidditch pitch, keeping a safe distance between them. He looked the most focused she’d ever seen him, even more focused than her. His face was emotionless, completely serious with his task. Rey swallowed hard, shifting her eyes away.

Fifteen minutes later, Jess whizzed by and yelled, “You’re doing great!” as she passed. Rey didn’t shout anything back, attempting to keep her full attention on her hunt for the snitch. _Look, look, look. It has to be somewhere._

_There._

Barely a flash in the distance, a glimmer of gold. Her eyes instantly latched on to it, and Rey’s heart did a flip when it flew closer to Ben’s side than to hers. _Shit._ If she started flying towards him, he would know the snitch was nearby, and would be able to catch it before her due to his closer proximity. Rey nervously kept her eyes on it, silently urging her broom to go slightly faster. It wouldn’t be long before it got _just_ too close to his ears, just enough to hear the light fluttering of metallic wings.

Rey gripped her broom with her left hand, keeping her right limp but ready at her side to reach out and take what was hers. She’d taken the vial of _Felix Felicis._ _She had to win. It was destiny._

The moment the snitch flew closer to her side, Rey shot forward through the air like a torpedo, wind whipping past her. Ben had quickly caught on to her movements, eyes snapping to her in seconds. He desperately looked around, searching for the snitch.

Her heart was pounding. Rey took in deep breaths of the cool air around her, clenching her jaw as she closed in on the snitch. This was always the worst part. It seemed to sense her presence and shot away from her at the last possible moment, causing Rey to swerve around and almost fall right off of her broom. She fled after the snitch, and resisted a scream of frustration when Ben appeared close by beside her.

_Come on, Felix. Help me out._

Rey leaned forward on her broom as much as she could without falling off, clumsily grabbing for the snitch with a strangled cry lodged in her throat. It was always _just_ out of her clutches, zig-zagging through the air. The snitch jeered to the left, and Rey full-on crashed into Ben as she did the same movement with her broom.

He grunted at the impact, but didn’t comment on it as he too swerved his broom to follow the snitch. By now their little show had attracted the attention of the stands, who were chanting _Ravenclaw_ and _Slytherin_. Her entire body was tense and sweating and anxious and Rey felt nothing like she had earlier. _Had the potion worn off? Did I take it too early in the day? Was it just a fake?_

Rey and Ben both had a hand outstretched towards the snitch, desperate looks on their faces as they reached out for the tiny ball that would win the game for their house.

_Grab it, Rey! What the hell are you waiting for?_

She cried out as she leaned dangerously forward and reached for the golden snitch. The hard metal shell brushed against her fingertips as it evaded her grasp and shot to the left, where it landed right in Ben’s outstretched hand.

Half of the crowd erupted in crazy shouts and cheers while the other half politely applauded Slytherin’s victory. Rey did nothing. Her jaw had dropped, her brain was swarming with too much input, and every sound that echoed around the field was just a numb background noise. She felt like something was pressing on her chest, choking her throat, stopping her from speaking. She felt like she was having a panic attack.

Rey couldn’t even look at him. She rapidly dove towards the grass, feet slamming into the earth as she roughly collided with it seconds later. Her face felt uncomfortably hot, and when she brought her hand up to her cheek, she found it moist with tears. Someone's hand was resting on her shoulder and someone's voice was telling her it was okay, but the sudden tears silently streaming down her cheeks blurred everything. 

_Fuck._ Rey dropped to the moist grass with a thud, covering her face with her hands. She didn’t even know why she was crying. She didn’t know why anything was happening. _She_  was supposed to be the one celebrating right now, with the golden snitch proudly clutched in her hand and the stands cheering her name. The potion was supposed to guarantee her win. 

The tears stopped as soon as they started, and Rey was left feeling more embarrassed than anything when she wiped her cheeks and faced her team. They were all crowded in a circle around her. Jess stepped forward, kneeling in front of her and kindly taking her hands.

”Rey...” she murmured softly, softly rubbing her hands. “You played excellently today. _Excellently._ And you tried your best. We all know that.” Jess swallowed and looked down at the grass between them. “I’m sorry you’re feeling this way, but just know that none of us will ever blame you for what happens.”

Rey was overwhelmed with her Captain’s word, squeezing her hands back as she released them. “Thank you, Jess,” she said, glancing away to her teammates. They were all there, offering kind smiles and supporting their friend. “Thank you.”

***

Rey was the last one left in the Ravenclaw tent. The stands had all filed out, and her teammates had reluctantly left her alone so she could have some time to relax and think. It wasn’t really working, but it was still nice not to have all of her teammates bombarding her with comforting words. She didn’t need them to tell her they didn’t blame her for their loss. She knew, and it still bothered her.

She was running a hand along her broom, which was laying flat on a wooden table stacked with some forgotten strategy papers. Rey’s back was to the entrance of the tent, so she didn’t see when Ben entered behind her. But she felt his presence.

Rey straightened, staring at the grains in the wooden table for a few more moments before turning to face him. She found she couldn’t even hold his strong gaze, too defeated to fight back.

“If you’re here to shove your victory in my face, I don’t want to hear it.” Rey muttered, hating how small her voice sounded in the empty air between them. 

“I’m not,” Ben murmured, and Rey’s eyes flashed up to his. She was surprised to see he didn’t look smug at all. He didn’t even look happy. _I’ve ruined today for everyone._

“Then why are you here?” She asked lightly, more in curiosity then anything else. They’d never really been in alone in a room together before, and the thought was flipping her insides. Ben slowly stepped closer to her, closing the distance between them, and Rey reflexively leaned back until she bumped into the table. 

He stopped a foot away from her, eyes filled with unspoken emotions. “I’m here to see if you’re okay.”

Rey took a shaky breath, willing her heart to stop racing. She didn’t want to seem like a total nervous wreck. “I am,” She told him, chest rising and falling with each measured breath. “Is that the only reason?”

Ben’s lips twitched into a small smile, uncharacteristically sweet as he held her gaze.  _He’s going to be the death of me._

“Rey _,”_ he murmured quietly, setting her nerves on fire. His eyes flickered down to her lips, painstakingly slow. “Can I kiss you?”

Rey searched his eyes for any signs that he was joking, but she found none. _He was serious. He was serious?_ Time was ticking by and Shem was standing there like an idiot, so she spoke before her brain could think over his question.

“Yes,” She finally murmured. Rey couldn’t believe that this was even happening, that he’d spoken those words, that she’d agreed, and now Ben was cupping her face and pulling her closer. He lightly pressed his lips against hers, gentle and sweet, and Rey’s brain short circuited at the feeling, the pressure, the sensation. It felt amazing.  _It wasn’t enough._

Rey didn’t have much experience with kissing, but if one thing was true, she was a very fast learner. She quickly responded to his careful actions, wrapping her arms around his neck and increasing the intensity. Ben was a natural, plush lips pushing and pulling at her own in an achingly slow but perfect rhythm. His skin was warm and soft and perfect against hers.

Their actions grew more fervent, more passionate, and before long the strategy papers were being pushed to the floor as Ben lifted her up onto the edge of the table, settling between her legs. Rey snaked her hands into his thick hair, and he softly moaned into her mouth at the sensation. She felt the reverberations, and it was the _hottest_ noise she’d ever heard. His hands were wrapped around her waist, rubbing soft circles into her skin through her layers of clothing, and Rey wished she was wearing anything but her stupid unattractive quidditch uniform. 

It felt so _right,_ but eventually she was too out of breath to continue, too overwhelmed, and both of them tentatively broke away from eachother. Rey naturally rested her forehead against his heaving chest, closing her eyes to let it all sink in. Something had just changed. She could feel it.

Her own heart was racing with an overload of emotions and new sensations, but she felt comfortable evoloped in Ben’s body heat, tucked into his chest. She felt safer than she had in a long time, despite the green of his Slytherin quidditch uniform filling her vision.

Rey tilited her head up, looking up at Ben through her lashes. His lips twitched when he met her eyes, bringing one of his hands up to brush along her cheekbone. The gentle touch gave her shivers. She could hardly believe this was happening, to her of all people. _Was it a mistake? An impulsive decision gone wrong?_

“I still hate you for catching the snitch,” Rey murmured, smiling softly to show she wasn’t _completely_ serious. It wasn’t completely a joke, either.

Ben smirked, pulling away a few inches to see her face more clearly. “I guess your little potion didn’t end up working.”

_Had he seen me crying after he won?_ Surely not, or else Rey hoped he’d be acting more supportive. Maybe he had, and this was just the way he was all of the time. Smug, uncaring, a Slytherin. And she’d just become entwined with him in a way she could’ve never imagined.

”I guess it didn’t,” Rey replied, though her Ravenclaw mind was already coming up with an answer. She’d assumed the potion would win her the game, but maybe it’d made her lucky in a different way. It’d given her this moment with Ben. This new step in their friendship. _But was that a blessing in disguise, or a curse?_


	20. Chapter Twenty- Invitations

Finn had finally convinced Rey to take out her stupidly puffy winter coat. She refused to look at such a thing when it wasn't even winter yet, but his good reasoning had persuaded her into wearing it to their Sunday trip into Hogsmeade.

It had turned out to be a chilly day- Rey had to give him that. She knew she would've been cold if she wasn't wearing a coat, but refused to admit defeat, especially when Poe _'I told you so_ ' Dameron was around.

Rey casually pulled Poe away from the group, pretending to be interested in a small quidditch shop. The brand-new brooms and cleaning kits did look nice, but she wasn't there to admire things she couldn't afford.

"Something happened yesterday," She said, keeping her gaze on the window. When Poe didn't respond, she looked over to find his face mildly confused.

He was still distracted by the quidditch gear, shaking his head as he glanced at her. "What?"

"Something happened...with Ben."

Poe's eyebrows raised up to his curly hair, lips parting. "Am I hearing things?" He exclaimed, glancing back to the street where Finn and Rose were respectfully waiting for them to return. "What- What do you mean something happened? When? Where? How?!"

His voice has risen at least an octave, and Rey had to set her hands on his shoulders to calm him down. She was laughing as she said, "We... we kissed."

"No," Poe muttered with a gasp, looking like he might actually collapse to the pavement any second. "You're not joking? You're being serious?"

"Of course I am," Rey responded, planting her hands on her hips. "Don't you believe that someone is interested in me?"

Poe sighed, giving her the same annoyed treatment. "You know I do, Rey," he chided. "I'm just... surprised. I mean, this is a _revelation_. You and Ben Solo, a _thing_? Talk about a power couple, like _damn_ -"

"We're not a couple," Rey interjected, leading him back to Finn and Rose. "At least not yet." She added with a wink. Poe was shaking his head to himself as they rejoined the group.

"You guys okay?" Finn asked them, giving Rey a silent look of curiosity.

"Yeah," She answered, smiling at Finn to show that everything was alright.

He shrugged at her response, launching into his recount of yesterday's quidditch match. Rey didn't even want to remember that part of her day, the failure, her loss. It was embarrassing, how overly confident she was in her abilities before the game. At least she learned her lesson: don't provoke people like Ben with boasts and brags. Her talk only egged him on to beat her.

Finn’s talk did remind her of something, though. Her failure, and maybe the potion too, had put her in a very delicate emotional state. Rey couldn’t help but wonder if Ben had taken advantage of that, even if it wasn’t on purpose. He must’ve known she wasn’t thinking straight. Yet, she’d still said yes when he’d asked to kiss her, so she could hardly blame him. Sometimes instincts took over sense. She understood that, but it still left her feeling all wrong.

***

Monday morning was absolutely nerve-wracking.

Rey barely touched her breakfast, appetite replaced with a sinking feeling deep in her stomach that wouldn't go away. She had that inkling that things were going to be different now, different from before the kiss and different from during it. This wasn't just some random hook up - Ben was her classmate, her friend, her partner in Potions class. She couldn't just escape from him. _Oh, no,_ she was stuck facing awkward situations surrounding Ben for another two years. Neither of them could forget about what had happened, and neither of them could ignore it.

Rey knew it was just a kiss. She knew it didn't mean much, that there were much more personal things people did with each other, but it still meant a lot to her. Ben seemed like an expert, and she wouldn't be surprised if he'd kissed dozens of girls in his lifetime. Rey wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't a virgin either, so she knew their moment wouldn't have meant much to him. How could it, when he was descended from the most famous wizarding bloodline in the world, and she was just plain old Rey from the Jakku home for foster children?

He was already there, in his seat beside hers at their shared table, bent over something in front of him. Rey took shallow breaths as she quietly padded across the classroom, wordlessly sitting down in her chair. Ben was silent, but still just as distracting. She couldn't resist the urge to glance over at him.

He sensed her gaze instantly, slowly turning his head to face her. His eyes were as heavy as lead as they dragged over her face, calculating and emotionless. Rey kept her own expression impassive, and Ben lightly smirked when he met her eyes, returning his attention to the board seconds later.

 _Well. That wasn't as bad as I thought_.

Rey shifted uncomfortably in her seat, giving Ben another sideways glance before fiddling with her textbook and papers for something to do with her hands. If anything, the awkwardness between them had been diminished and replaced with more tension. It was stifling, choking, and impossible to ignore. Rey wondered if they were ever going to talk about what happened, or if it was just a moment that was never going to take place again.

***

The corridor was bustling with the daily rush of students heading to their next class. Rey was being bumped so much by the many bodies around her that she couldn't prevent herself from crashing right into someone moving towards her.

"Sorry-" She started, voice dying out as she came face-to-face with Hux. His thin lips were curled in disgust as he recognized her.

"Scavenger _slut_ ," He sneered, glaring into her eyes before brushing past her and continuing down the corridor.

Rey was left dumbfounded for a moment, turning to watch Hux's back disappear farther and farther away from her. _Slut?_ People were muttering annoyances under their breath, and she realized she'd been unknowingly standing in the middle of the hallway for an awkward amount of time. Rey swallowed the lump growing in her throat, keeping her head down as she rushed to her next class.

***

A few weeks later, December was in full swing. It snowed nearly every single day, blanketing the earth in fluffy white powder and sending the temperature plummeting low. Christmas was in under two weeks, but Rey wasn't feeling very excited. It was always a happy time for her friends, yet she never got the same warm and fuzzy feelings that everyone else did. Christmas was about spending quality time with your family- and Rey had none.

She'd been slowly diving into her annual melancholy holiday mood, saying no to weekend gift-shopping trips to Hogsmeade and tuning out any conversations that related to Christmas. If anything, Rey was more excited for New Years.

"What are you doing for the holidays, Rey?" Headmaster Skywalker asked her as she stood in front of his desk, finished worksheet in hand. She was caught off guard by the question, blinking for a few moments before registering his words.

"The holidays? Oh, well..." Rey shifted her gaze down to his desk, fiddling with her paper. "I wish it was something more exciting, but I'm staying here."

Headmaster Skywalker raised his eyebrows in surprise, clasping his hands together. "Not going home to see your family?" He asked curiously. Rey shifted uncomfortably, but he couldn't have known the truths about her family that she kept hidden inside.

"Um..." She didn't know how brutally honest she should be with him. What was she supposed to tell him, ' _I don't have a family_ '? "My foster guardian doesn't really celebrate, and I don't think he would want me around for any longer than necessary anyways, so... yeah. I'm stuck here."

Skywalker frowned sympathetically, lines forming on his forehand as he thought. "I'm awfully sorry to hear about that, Rey," he said, looking up at her with such kind but trapping eyes. She already wanted to bolt back to her seat. "Maybe..." Skywalker tapped his chin. "There's this huge family dinner at my sister's, it happens every year. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to have an extra guest."

It was Rey's turn to be shocked. She could perfectly imagine the blank expression on her face, the parted lips, the wide eyes. "Wha- Really?" She asked, eyebrows pulling together as she searched his face for any signs he was kidding. _Her, at the prestigious Organa-Solo family Christmas dinner?_ The idea was ridiculous.

Skywalker smiled softly, giving her a small shrug of his cloaked shoulders. "It's all up to you, of course," he assured her. "I just know that Leia hates seeing people alone during the holidays. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

Rey found herself uncontrollably smiling. The thought of attending an actual family dinner during Christmas was the best idea she'd ever considered. _Yet... she wasn't a part of their family. How could she just barge in?_ "I would love to, it's just... I feel like I'm intruding." She admitted. "Your family seems very...close-knit." _Except for Ben, of course. Ben. How could she survive a family dinner with Ben, at his house?_

"We always have family-friends and other guests attend," Skywalker explained, eyes crinkling at the corners as he reflected on past memories of the tradition. "But if it makes you feel more comfortable, I can have Leia send you a personal invitation."

 _Was this really happening?_ Rey felt like the liquid luck from weeks ago was still coursing through her veins, making her decisions quick and impulsive. "That would be very much appreciated, Headmaster." She said, handing in her sheet before she forgot. "Thank you so much. I'll definitely think about it."

Headmaster Skywalker smiled warmly, placing her paper on the top of his stack. "I look forward to hearing your decision," he said, and Rey returned his smile as she turned away. For once, she felt happy about the holidays. She felt excited.

***

It was during breakfast that all of the owls swarmed into the Great Hall, dropping off small packages and envelopes for the students who'd received mail. BB-8 landed right in the middle of Poe's plate of food, and he stubbornly took the crumpled note out of its beak.

"Ah," He said to himself, dropping the note to the table after skimming its contents. "Another letter reminding me that I have no choice but to come home and see my family for Christmas. How touching." Poe scribbled a response on the back of the note and BB-8 immediately snatched it from his hand once he finished writing, flying away.

Rey was about to respond to his complaints when a majestic snowy owl swooped overhead, calmly landing between her and Poe's plates without touching any of the food on the table.

Poe leaned backwards until their eyes met, and he glanced to the white owl with confusion etched onto his features. "What."

Rey _never_ got mail, so this was a very odd occurrence. The beautiful creature turned its head to face her, a manilla envelope tucked into its beak. The owl had golden specks in its wide eyes, and Rey was caught off guard by its simple beauty as she gently took the letter.

The handwriting on the front was immaculate, and there was an actual wax stamp on the back. _Who even does that anymore?_ Peering at the tiny writing, _Organa-Solo_ was pressed into the wax crest in simple lettering. Surely it must be a mistake... yet it was addressed to her and everything.

" _Ohhh_ my god," Rey muttered, flashing the envelope to her friends. They all read who it was from with impressed faces, staying silent with held breaths as Rey carefully opened up the envelope.

The paper inside looked even more expensive, a crisp white square with a shimmery metallic-gold border. Rey read the contents aloud in the calmest voice she could.

" _Miss Rey Kenobi,_

_The honour of your presence would be happily welcomed at the annual Organa-Solo Christmas Eve dinner. If you're interested, please send a note back with our owl for further details. We eagerly await your response._

_With regards,_

_Leia Organa_ "

Rey continued re-reading the elegant words in her head, which matched the delicate script on the envelope. She looked up expectantly at her friends. "What should I do?"

"You frickin send a note back!" Poe exclaimed, causing the snowy owl to flutter its wings in irritation. His voice was more level as he said, "It's not every day that the Department Head of Magical Law Enforcement invites you to their Christmas party. You _have_ to go!"

"It would be a great opportunity," Finn added gently. "Make some connections, make some good impressions. She could get you a job!"

Poe and Finn both looked to Rose, who raised her eyebrows as she realized it was her turn to speak. "Well..." she laughed. "Think about how rich they must be. The food is going to be amazing."

"True," Rey agreed with a hum, nodding her head. She flinched a little when she noticed the Organa-Solo family owl still staring at her expectantly, waiting for instructions. Before Rey could convince herself she was making a mistake, she pulled out the least wrinkled piece of paper she had in her bag and carefully wrote her confirmation. She was probably going to regret this later, but she couldn’t care less at the moment.

The owl gladly accepted her letter, giving the group a final look before beating its wings and flying high into the air and out of the Great Hall in seconds.

"Well, that just happened," Rey murmured, rubbing gently at her eyes. _Mistake, mistake, mistake_. "I guess that means I'm going home for the holidays..." She trailed off as the words sunk in. _Shit_. Rey dropped her hands, giving her friends a pleading look. "Can I stay at someone's house during the break? I can't go home..."

Finn was quick to jump in. "Of course, Rey. You can stay with me. I just have to write my parents...but I'm sure they'll say yes."

 _I hope so_. "Thanks, Finn," Rey breathed, smiling at him across the table. She felt slightly more at peace now, but was still apprehensive about attending someone else's Christmas dinner. And Ben... he was _not_ going to be happy when she broke the news.

***

The details to the dinner came days later in the from of another crisp letter delivered by the snowy owl. Rey was growing fond of it, and the owl even let her pat its soft feathers as she accepted the paper in its beak. She wondered if Ben had noticed his family's owl delivering stuff to her instead of him.

The letter included all of the details for the dinner- date, time, address. It was personally written by Leia, and Rey found herself really admiring the woman. She seemed much nicer than Ben, at least.

Ben. As much as Rey would like to randomly show up at his house on Christmas Eve, she was going to have to let him know sooner or later. He'd probably try to convince her not to go, not to write back, but she'd already confirmed her attendance.

It was in astronomy class that Rey brought the situation up. They were both by their telescope, Ben filling in his worksheet and Rey leaning against the windowsill as she admired the falling snow outside.

"So..." She started, turning back to him. Ben's writing immediately stilled, and he tentatively glanced up at her. _It's now or never_. "Your mother invited me to their Christmas Eve dinner," Rey stated simply, watching his reaction.

Ben blinked at her for a moment before his body seemed to respond to his thoughts. His eyebrows came together in a look of confusion, lips parting. Rey tried not to stare at them.

"What?" He snapped, looking like a lost puppy. Rey almost felt bad for him. _Does he not want me there?_

"Uh... _yeah_ ," Rey said, pressing her lips together as Ben's face continued to stay confused. "You do know what I'm talking about, right?"

Ben released a long sigh, nodding his head. "Unfortunately. I hope you said no."

Rey smiled sheepishly, internally cringing at the way Ben's jaw dropped in disbelief. "I already agreed... Sorry."

"How does my mother even know who you are?" He asked, tilting his head. "No offence."

Rey crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, so you don't write home telling her how amazing I am?" Ben gave her an annoyed look, and she decided to be honest. "Your uncle set it all up. This was none of my doing."

"I can't believe you're going to be at my house during Christmas," Ben whined, running an irritated hand through his hair and messing it up. "My family is going to do everything they can to embarrass me in front of you."

Rey was tempted to wickedly smile at the thought, but she kept it suppressed for Ben's sake. "That's their job." She replied. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you know."

"Yeah, _thanks_ ," Ben responded sarcastically, but his annoyance seemed more like a charade than his true emotions. "I guess it won't be that bad to actually have someone my own age around, though. I'm normally the only person under eighteen at these things," he explained. " _So_ boring."

"Lucky us," Rey mused with raised eyebrows. She was already looking forward to spending more time with Ben, getting to know his interests and such. _Maybe they'd even... maybe they'd even kiss again_. _A girl could hope, right?_ Rey would just have to wait and see.


	21. Chapter Twenty One- Out On Thin Ice

The constant snowfall had halted, leaving the frozen landscape of the Hogsmeade train station bleak and cold. The Hogwarts Express was waiting on the tracks as Rey walked alongside Finn, Poe, and Rose. It felt strange to be leaving Hogwarts to go somewhere else during the holidays.

For the past six years Rey had been staying at Hogwarts, enjoying the amazing Christmas Feast without any of her friends. But this year, things would be different. Finn's parents had gladly agreed to let her stay over for the two weeks of the winter break, and Poe and Rose had invited her to come over to their houses to hang out. The new prospect was exciting.

The group all boarded the train, which was pleasantly quiet without hundreds of rambunctious students on it. Rey easily found them all a secluded train car, making sure it was a safe distance from Ben and the Slytherin's cars. She didn't need any more unnecessary drama happening before Christmas, especially when she was going to have to spend an entire day with Ben at the dinner.

The train ride felt shorter than normal without all of the first day of-school anxiety, and before long the Hogwarts Express was pulling in at King's Cross Station. Rey tugged her small luggage behind her down the platform with Finn at her side. His parents were waiting for them, the epitome of a happy marriage smiling back at her as Rey greeted them.

The car ride to Finn's house was long due to the traffic, but it allowed them all time to catch up and discuss school. Finn's parents worked lower jobs in the Ministry, but that was mostly just a cover since they received financial compensation from been under the witness protection program. They'd been involved with some shady dark arts business and then broken free in a tense legal battle once Finn was born. You'd never even know, though. They seemed like a perfectly normal family from the outside, and Rey knew they were good people. She knew the difference between good and bad people from _personal_ experience.

Finn lived in a pretty decent area in Manchester, though to Rey, anything with electricity and plumbing was considered decent. She was instantly put at ease when the car turned onto their familiar street, which was dotted with quaint brick houses. Rey had spent many summers visiting there, lying on the grass in their small backyard with Finn and imagining animals out of the fluffy white clouds.

She had a guest bedroom all to herself, and when she sat down on the soft mattress all she wanted to do was take a long nap from her day of traveling. The delicious aroma of Nigerian food wafting up from the kitchen eventually brought her downstairs for dinner. Hogwarts meals were good, but they weren't _good_. They had no seasoning except for salt. Finn's parents' home-cooked meals were a whole different story, and Rey wished she could eat like that every night, with delicious food and a happy family around the table.

Rey spent the rest of the night playing monopoly with Finn and stubbornly trying to educate him on the ways of the Internet with the use of her smartphone. Finn had wifi at his house, _thank god_ , due to their ancient family computer his parents had to use for ministry work. The way he gingerly held her phone in both hands and roughly tapped the screen reminded her of teaching an elder how to use technology. It was a bit frustrating, but mostly hilarious and endearing.

***

Christmas Eve was tomorrow.

Rey was bundled in the warmest coat she owned as her, Finn, and Poe all headed towards the outdoor skating rink that was already bustling with people. The temperature had dropped even more than when she'd arrived at Finn's house, but it hadn't seemed to stop the rest of the world from coming out and enjoying the holiday spirit.

Classic Christmas music was playing from some large speakers, and Rey smiled to herself as she realized that holiday songs were the only ones she and her friends both knew the words to.

She hummed along to _Last Christmas_ as she tied up her white figure skates. They were already a used pair when she bought them a few years ago, and a size too small, but Finn's parents had taken her to get them sharpened, so at least she wouldn't catapult forward the second she made contact with the ice.

Finn and Poe sat beside her further down the bench, singing charmingly off-key as they quickly did up their hockey skates. Their _brand new_ hockey skates, that fit them perfectly and barely had a scratch on the black leather. Rey shook away her immature jealously as she stood to follow them onto the ice. It wasn't their fault they were normal people, with normal parents who loved them and bought them nice things. _It's not their fault._

Poe was off on the ice like a rocket, but ended up tripping on a rough patch and launching forward onto his stomach with outstretched arms, sliding a few feet across the ice. Rey carefully skated over to him with Finn at her side, covering her mouth with her gloved hand to hold in the laugh threatening to burst out.

"Are you okay?" She asked, offering her hand down to him. Poe flipped himself onto a seated position, leaning back on his hands as he gave her a thumbs up.

"I'm good," he chuckled, taking her hand and almost pulling her down as he tugged himself up. Finn shook his head in feigned disappointment as Poe brushed ice shavings off his torso. "That was exhilarating," Poe explained, skating backwards so he could talk to Rey and Finn with more ease. "You should both try it."

"I don't think so, mate," Finn replied, quickly gripping onto Rey's wrist as he lost his balance. She helped right him until he was good to go again. "This is exhilarating enough."

They spent the day skating around and sipping on cups of tongue-scalding hot chocolate while singing their hearts out to _All I Want For Christmas Is You_. Finn took a serious tumble during the chorus, splashing his drink all over the ice in a hilarious display of tripping and sliding. It was a great distraction from the stressful day to come, at least until _someone_ had to bring it up.

" _So_ , Rey," Poe started, handing her and Finn their second styrofoam cups of hot chocolate. "You're going to the Organa-Solo Christmas dinner thing tomorrow, right?"

Rey sipped her drink, ignoring the way it burned as it went down her throat. " _Yup_ ," she replied simply, pursing her lips. She’d hoped he would take the hint and drop the topic, but knowing Poe, he took her hesitance as a green light.

"That's gonna be..." He met her eyes, smirking devilishly, “ _fun_."

She narrowed her eyes, giving a particularly hard push off of the ice with her skates. "Yeah, it will." _Wouldn't it?_

Finn must’ve seen the doubt flicker across her face, beacajse momens later he was kindly pattinf her shoulder, shooting Poe a look. "Yeah, it will, Peanut."

Poe raised his eyebrows at them, glancing away to the ice. “I don't know, guys," He said knowingly, looking at Rey. “ _You_. _Ben_. At his _house_. Think about it.”

"What do you think's gonna happen? We're not going to be alone," Rey retorted. She was already regretting letting Poe know about her feelings for Ben, because she knew he was going to be this way.

"If you say so," Poe replied, holding up his gloved hands in defence. "You should take the opportunity, though. If it comes up." He winked at her. "It's not like you'll have another opportunity until summer." Rey was staring at him, mortified. "Just make sure you use protection," Poe added quietly, smirking.

"Oh my god, Poe!" Rey exclaimed, lightly shoving him on the shoulders. "That is _definitely_ not going to be happening. He hasn't even kissed me again in weeks." The thought made her press her lips together in annoyance.

"Get under some mistletoe," Finn suggested. "It's going to be Christmas Eve, after all. You have to enjoy yourselves.”

Rey rolled her eyes at them, but inside, she agreed. She wanted nothing more than to find herself under some mistletoe with Ben in front of her, the snow falling around them as he pressed his lips against hers. While she didn't usually enjoy the holidays, she always found herself feeling sentimental and emotional around Christmas, and it was happening now.

"Aren't you supposed to bring them a hosting gift?" Poe asked, rubbing his hands together to keep warm. Rey's jaw dropped and she looked at her friends with alarm in her eyes.

“I guess I am..." she murmured, looking to Finn. "Can you take me to the mall after?" She prayed he'd agree. The dinner was _tomorrow_ , and she'd completely ignored the fact that it would be extremely rude if she didn't bring anything with her as thanks.

"Of course," Finn replied. "But you know, you could just make a bread or something."

" _Ha_ ," Rey laughed, giving him a tight smile. "That's not happening." The food would be edible, but definitely not good enough for Leia Organa's Christmas Eve dinner. 

"I can get my mom to bake something tonight," Finn suggested, and when Rey looked over at him she was surprised to see he wasn't joking.

"Really?"

Finn shrugged. "I'll ask when we get back home. I'm sure she'd love to have her bread at the _Organa-Solo Christmas_. It’s iconic.”

The way he said the name and glanced over knowingly at Poe spoke volumes to their thoughts. They were acting like it was some boring event, but she had a feeling they were jealous that she'd been invited and hadn't asked them to come with her. Rey would've loved to bring her friends along, but she already felt like her presence was troublesome, never mind Poe, Finn, or Rose tagging along.

"That would be amazing, Finn. Thank you so much!" Rey said, giving him a quick side-hug so she wouldn't topple him over. "You're the best."

"Hey!" Poe interjected. "I'm the one who so kindly reminded you in the first place."

Rey shook her head but gave Poe a hug anyways, and by the time they pulled apart he was smiling again.

"Merry Christmas, Rey," he said, giving her shoulder a pat.

"Merry Christmas." She replied, raising her cup of hot chocolate in the air for them all to toast. It still scorched her throat on the way down, but in the presence of her best friends the small pain felt like nothing.

***

"It looks _so_ good," Rey murmured, the beautiful bread Finn's Mom had made sitting on the countertop and still steaming from the oven. She leaned down to smell the aroma as the house phone starting ringing, causing Finn to leave her side to answer it.

His voice was a low, questioning murmur from the living room, and Rey was pulling out her phone to waste time when he peered around the corner of the kitchen and whisper-shouted her name.

Rey whipped around, pocketing her phone as her eyes landed on him. He had one palm wrapped around the bottom end of the phone, and was gesturing for her to come over.

" _What_?" She whispered, glancing between him and the phone curiously.

"It's for _you_ ," he whispered, raising his eyebrows knowingly as he handed her the phone.

“Who is it?”

Finn moved the phone up to her ear in response, quickly leaving the room. Rey quirked a brow at his back as he disappeared deeper into his house, giving her mysterious privacy. She plopped down on Finn's couch, suspiciously bringing the phone to her ear. 

"Who is this?" Rey asked tentatively, gripping the arm of the couch as she waited for the person to respond.

"Rey?"

The voice was _very_ familiar, deep and smooth and haunting her dreams ever since she began her sixth year at Hogwarts.  It was Ben's voice. _What the hell?_ She released her grip on the couch to run a hand through her hair. _Why is he calling me?_

"Ben?"

"Yeah, it's me." He answered, sounding as bored as ever. Rey felt her eyebrows scrunch together as she stared at a random family picture of Finn and his family on vacation on the mantle.

"What are you...” She shook her head to herself. “Why are you calling me?" Before Ben could answer she spoke again. "Wait, how do you even know I'm at Finn's house? Why do you have his number?" There were too many questions she needed answered, and the situation was all too strange.

Ben was silent for a moment, probably processing her thousand questions, before he answered, "Have you ever heard of a phone book?"

Rey rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, _very funny_. Why are you calling?"

"This was _not_ my decision," he replied, sounding annoyed. "My mother made me call to confirm that you were still coming tomorrow." A beat of silence, then, "Are you?"

"...Yeah," Rey answered, clicking her fingernails against the hard plastic shell of Finn's home phone.

"...And you know when it starts?"

"Two?”

"Yeah," Ben confirmed, voice sounding distant over the phone. Rey let out a long breath through her nose, biting at the edge of her lip as she waited for him to ask anything else. He didn't.

"You know..." She sighed. "I'm sorry if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Me being there, at your Christmas Eve dinner. I know it's kind of weird."

He was silent for a few moments, and Rey could hear his light breaths through the phone.

"It... It doesn't." Ben replied after awhile, sounding noticeably softer. A small smile twitched at Rey's lips, and she was thankful that he couldn't see her expression. "But I'm just warning you, it might be awkward. I get weird in front of my family, you know?"

_No, I don't_. "Yeah," Rey agreed quietly, standing from the couch and peeking her head around the corner of the kitchen to see if Finn was there. He wasn't. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

"...Me too." Ben said after a moment. He sounded like he was about to say more when Rey heard muffled voices in the background coming from his side. "My Mom wants me to help her set up some stuff for the party. I'll see you tomorrow."

Rey leaned against the wall, wishing she could be talking to him in real life. _Tomorrow_. "See you soon, Ben. Have a good night."

"Goodnight, Rey," he murmured, and seconds later the phone line went dead.

She could imagine him saying those words to her every night, but in the future, of course. Still, Rey was hopeful that tomorrow would bring new opportunities and experiences. She just hoped that she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself in front of one of the most esteemed wizarding families in Britain. _That_ would surely be something she’d never live down, especially if Ben was present.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two- Christmas Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May The Fourth Be With You! Hope everyone is having a great Star Wars day :D Enjoy!

_Jingle Bell Rock_ was playing through the car radio as Finn and his mom drove Rey to the Organa-Solo Christmas Eve dinner. It was already heavily snowing, blanketing the highway in fluffy white powder. Rey’d considered not coming to the dinner when she'd stepped outside, but she knew she'd feel worse if she didn't show up. If Leia had made the effort to personally write her an invitation, she could make the effort to come. 

Rey quietly bounced in the back seat, the bread Finn's Mom had made resting on her lap. Ben and his family lived west of London, in a beautiful and definitely rich neighbourhood that she'd looked up on Google maps. She'd known they were well off, but... they were _well_ off. Their house had looked like a mansion, which only made Rey feel more self-conscious about her own situation.

She'd picked out the single best outfit she owned in order to impress Ben's family as much as possible, even consulting Finn and texting Rose to get their input. They all decided on black jeans with a burgundy sweater, which Rey paired with black booties, silver earrings, and the best make-up job she could do in under an hour. Finn's mom helped her curl her hair in soft waves that elegantly framed her face.

Ben's parents seemed like nice enough people and all, but everyone judged her no matter how hard they tried not to. Sometimes Rey felt like the word _ORPHAN_ was stamped across her forehead by the way some people looked at her. She just wanted to appear normal for one day, and if that meant dressing up fancily and not acting like herself, than that's what she would do. 

Before long Finn's Mom was telling her they were almost there, and Rey was gripping her hands around the bread tin for something to hold on to. She couldn't lie, she was nervous. Nervous about how much they'd judge her, nervous about how she looked, nervous about how many people would be there, nervous about Ben. Nervous about everything.

Finn, who had chosen to sit beside her instead of in the passenger seat, reached over and gave Rey a gentle pat on her hand.

"You okay, Peanut?" 

Rey glanced over at him and took a deep, calming breath, nodding her head. "I'm just anxious."

He nodded in understanding. "Everything will be okay. And remember, you can call me, or Poe, or Rose at any time, and we'll be there for you." 

"Thanks Finn," Rey said with a smile, returning her gaze to the window. Multi-million dollar houses stared back at her, tall, huge and ominous with the grey backdrop of the sky behind them. Somehow they still had charm; colourful lights, blown-up lawn Santa's and misshapen snowmen scattered about.

"Crazy, huh?" Finn muttered, gazing out the window on his side of the car. 

"Yeah..." Rey murmured, entranced by the pure excessiveness of it all. _How could Ben and his parents live in such a huge house, when there were only three of them?_ She knew the answer: status. It was all a symbol of their wealth, their power, their high-paying ministry jobs, for everyone to see.

"Ah, here we are!" Finn's Mom announced, pulling over to the side of the street which was already lined with parked cars. Rey peered through the windshield, but she didn't have a good view of the house.

"Thank you for driving me!" She said, pressing the button on the seat belt to release it. "I'll be outside at 8."

"Have fun!" Finn’s Mom replied, giving Rey a dazzling smile which reminded her all too much of her son. Finn gave Rey a quick hug in the backseat, reminding her to call if she wanted to be picked up earlier. 

"Oh, and thanks for making the bread!" Rey added stepping out of the vehicle. "I'll see you later!” 

"Bye Rey, have fun!" Finn said before she closed the door, the car driving off down the road and disappearing in moments.

It was freezing out, but the cold did nothing to stop her loudly pounding heart. _Deep breaths, Rey. Deep breaths._ Her breath formed big white clouds in the air. She found the sidewalk through all the snow, slowly walking towards the house that had its driveway filled with expensive cars. 

The Organa-Solo home looked even more impressive in person. There was a large stretch of lawn leading up to the house, which had been decorated with silvery reindeer in varying positions. Red and green lights were strung across the roof, and a thick green wreath was hanging on the door. Rey strolled up the walkway, bread gripped in one hand and the other shaking as she reached out and rang the doorbell. 

There were multiple long moments of silence in which she smoothed down her hair and took steadying breaths, keeping her face ready for whoever answered the door.

It swung open, and the most put-together woman Rey had ever seen stood in the doorway. She was shorter than her, with greying hair but dressed impeccably. Rey knew who she was from the wizard newspapers Poe and Finn showed her sometimes during breakfast. Leia Organa, ministry official. Ben's mother.

"Rey! Welcome, please come in, come in," Leia said with a smile, urging Rey inside from the cold. She tentatively stepped into their house, which was pleasantly heated, and forced her jaw not to drop as she took in their massive entrance room which had a _freaking chandelier_ hanging from the ceiling. 

"Wow..." Rey murmured, cheeks blushing as she found Leia kindly watching her as she closed the door. "You, um, you have a very nice house, Mrs. Organa-Solo."

"Thank you, but please, call me Leia." She insisted, and Rey immediately nodded. "Here, I'll take your coat, dear." 

Rey went into sensory overload mode as she numbly handed over her jacket and followed Leia further into the mansion that was her house. They passed many guests along the way, and Rey recognized none of them until she saw Headmaster Skywalker talking to a woman with lavender hair. 

His eyes crinkled at the edges when he spotted her. "Rey! I'm so glad you could make it," he called as she and his twin sister approached. 

"Me too, Headmaster," Rey replied, shifting the increasingly heavy bread tin in her hands. She turned to Leia and held it out as she remembered it. “My friend's mom made this for you."

Leia carefully took the tin and smiled down at it. "Oh, how lovely. Give her my thanks." She left them alone to go put away the bread. 

"You can call me Luke when we're here," Headmaster Skywalker told her, and Rey agreed without repeating the name. There was certain separation she liked to keep between school and the rest of her life. "Oh, this is Amilyn Holdo, Head of The Department of International Magical Cooperation." 

The woman stuck her pale hand out for her to shake, which Rey did without hesitation. "Nice to meet you," Rey said with a smile. This woman seemed judgy, and it made perfect sense that she was a head in the ministry.

"Are you a student at Hogwarts?" Holdo asked, and Luke answered for her.

"Miss Kenobi is in my sixth year Defense Against the Dark Arts Class," He said proudly, giving Rey a wink. "She's one of my best students." 

"Oh, really?" Holdo asked, seeming not at all impressed as she met Rey's eyes. She hated being put on the spot, and ended up nervously laughing at all of the attention.

"I guess so," Rey said quietly, swallowing the awkward lump growing her her throat. _Where's Ben? I need him to come and rescue me from this conversation._ Luckily, Leia returned back to them a few moments later.

"Ben's told us so much about you," She said, a smile tugging at her lips. 

"Oh, has he?" Rey asked, pressing her lips together out of habit. Her pulse was racing.  _What the hell has he told them about me?_  

Leia and Luke chuckled at her reaction, and Leia was quick to clarify. "Just that you're the seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, and you're partners in a few classes..." She shared a knowing look with her brother, and they both smiled before turning to Rey again. _What._

"Where _is_ Ben?" Rey wondered, desperate to escape all of these looks and silent thoughts.

"He's just helping out in the kitchen with his father. Come with me, dear," Leia said, leading Rey down the corridor. 

"It was nice meeting you, Ms. Holdo," Rey remembered to say, earning herself a curt nod from the woman before she was forced to face forward in order not to crash into anyone.

Rey smoothed out her sweater, purposely stopping herself from fidgeting any further as the lighting got brighter and they entered the kitchen. It looked like one of those pictures in a magazine, marble counter tops and shiny metallic appliances with a crowd around the main island and an ambient background noise of conversation and clinking glasses. 

Leia let out a deep sigh at the commotion, planting her hands on her hips and raising her voice as she called, "Anyone not cooking, out of the kitchen!” 

Unsurprisingly, everyone instantly perked up at the sudden sternness of her voice and reluctantly moved towards the dining and living rooms, which were equally packed. The only people who remained in the kitchen were an older man peeking into the stove and a bored-out-of-his-mind looking Ben, who was bent in front of the microwave waiting for something to finish heating up. Either they didn't hear her words or they were ignoring them, as both men didn't even look up at Leia or Rey.

Leia cleared her throat impatiently, shouting Rey an unimpressed ' _men’_ look before returning her gaze to her husband. The sight of the famous figure her and Poe had idolized since their first year at Hogwarts standing in front of her was too much to handle. 

"You're Han Solo," Rey beamed, hardly trying to contain her excitement. In his youth he was the best chaser in the game, winning international championship after championship for the Rebellion Quidditch Team.

"I used to be," He replied gruffly, stepping forward to shake her hand. "You must be Rey, Ben's friend."

Ben whipped around from the microwave at the mention of his name, eyes widening as they landed on her. He looked much more put-together then than he did at school, wearing a tight-fitting gray sweater and black pants. He looked... handsome. Rey was momentarily distracted from the conversation at hand as she admired him.

"That's me," She answered, meeting Ben's eyes and tossing him a smile. "Hey Ben."

He stuffed his hands in his front pockets, casually leaning back against the counter top. "Hey."

They stood staring at each other for a few silent moments before Han cleared his throat and muttered under his breath, "Aren't you two cozy."

Leia promptly whacked him with a nearby magazine, giving him a silent glare that made the man straighten and sigh in defeat. Rey watched the exchange with a smile twitching at her lips. 

"So, Ben," Han started, taking as another look inside of the stove. Delicious aromas of turkey and herbs wafted out and into the air. "Why didn't you tell us your friend was so pretty?"

Rey raised her eyebrows in surprise, lips parting as Han, Leia, and herself looked to Ben expectantly. He was as rigid as a board against the counter, shooting his father an obvious glare before looking at his mother more softly. Ben met Rey's eyes with a twitch of his lips, but it disappeared as he returned his gaze to his parents. 

"There are more important qualities than beauty," He answered, looking smug as Han silently rolled his eyes and Leia gave her son an appreciate pat on the shoulder. She was so much shorter than him it was almost funny. 

"That's my son," she said proudly, and Ben embarrassingly shrugged off her touch as he seemed to remember Rey was there. His eyes flickered across her body, searing and heated as he took in her nice holiday outfit. Leia looked between them knowingly, nudging her son across the kitchen. "Why don't you give Rey a tour?" She suggested. Rey had a feeling she just wanted him out of the kitchen.

"Sure," Ben replied, leaving a noticeable gap between himself and Rey as he led her out of the kitchen and away from his parents. Once they were out of sight he seemed to deflate, sighing and running a stressed hand through his hair. " _Parents_ ," he muttered.

Rey hummed neutrally, shifting her gaze onto the many family photographs hung on the walls. She stepped closer to the one closest to her, peering at the moving figures in the wizard picture. A kindergarten age Ben stood beside his younger-looking father, who was dressed in his quidditch team uniform with a broom in hand.

Rey smiled at it, and was even more amused by the look Ben was giving her when she turned to look at him.

"You were cute," She teased, gesturing towards the picture. In all honesty it was a very sweet image, and the fact that they smiled at each other every few seconds gave it even more personality. Ben worked his jaw, glancing towards it with a hard look in his eyes, as if the picture brought up bad memories. 

"I'm not cute anymore?"

Rey sighed, moving along the wall to look at more pictures. "I'm not answering that," she told him, tracing a fancy golden frame with her finger that held another childhood photo. There were noticeably no pictures of Ben and his family from the last few years.

"You look nice today, by the way." He murmured from behind her. 

Rey glanced over at him, meeting his dark eyes and smiling softly. "Thank you. You look nice too." She returned her attention to the portraits, cheeks blushing and warming her face even further. "So, what about that tour?" 

"Right," Ben remembered, glancing down both ends of the hallway they were in. "Well...I don't know, nothing's really that interesting. What do you want to see?"

" _Wait_ , wait," Rey held up a hand, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows at him. "This is the biggest _and_ the prettiest house I've ever been inside of, so I think it _is_ pretty interesting, thank you very much. Though I guess mister spoiled rich boy wouldn't understand."

"Yeah, whatever," Ben muttered, though she could tell he agreed with her teasing and resented the life he'd been born into. "So is there something you want to see?"

Rey ambled over to the staircase, resting her hand on the smooth wooden banner. She glanced over her shoulder to Ben, and found he was already watching her. There was something she wanted to see, but it would it be too weird? _Screw it._ “Your room?"

Ben slowly walked up to her, eyes glinting in the bright lighting of the hallway. "If you want, sure." 

Her lips twitched into a winning smile, and Rey followed him up the winding staircase. She wasn't planning on doing anything in there, but she was just curious. A bedroom showcased personality, interests, how messy of a person you were. Ben was so mysterious and guarding of his home life Rey couldn't help but wonder what he was hiding.

The upstairs of the house looked just as impressive, and Rey saw many closed doors as she followed Ben down the hallway.

"I wasn't expecting any visitors up here, so don't make any comments." He warned, hand resting on the silver doorknob of his closed room.  _He could have a perfectly clean room and he'd still be saying that_ she thought, but nodded anyways as he opened the door.

Rey followed Ben inside, withholding her comments about how different his room looked compared to the rest of the house. It was simpler, more cozy, more personable than the unnecessary formality downstairs, and unapologetically Ben Solo.

The walls were dark but the ceiling was darker, black paint decorated with hundreds of tiny painted stars and galaxy hues of dark blues and purples.

"Your parents let you do this?" She asked, gazing up in awe at the beautiful paint job someone, maybe even Ben himself, had done.

"...Not exactly,” he answered, smirking fondly at the memory. "One day I was just so done with their bullshit, so I did this to be an ass. They ended up letting me keep it."

Rey raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Well, it's very beautiful," she said, shifting her eyes down to examine the other aspects of his bedroom.

***

Ben stood silently in front of his bed, arms crossed as he waited for Rey to laugh at his belongings or make a teasing comment. Her hazel eyes were inquisitive and filled with wonder as she asked permission to pick up various magical objects he'd obtained over the years as thoughtless birthday gifts. Her child-like curiosity quickly revealed itself, and she didn't bother withholding her _wows_ or impressed facial expressions as she moved throughout his room like it was a museum.

He hadn't been lying when he'd told her she looked nice earlier. The burgundy sweater she was wearing clung tight to her body, and she'd done something different with her makeup. Her eyes glittered like stars. If anything, nice was an understatement, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. He didn't want to seem too desperate and scare her away even more.

After they'd kissed earlier in the month he thought things would be different between them, yet they more or less remained the same. Rey acted oddly for a few days afterwards, but then she went back to her normal bright self around him like nothing had happened, like they hadn't gone from friends to something else by heatedly making out in a tent. _Does she not like me like that? Did I read the signs wrong? Was the kiss bad?_ Those were the types of questions he found himself endlessly contemplating. Ben knew he would never understand women, especially Rey.

As he watched her curious eyes turn darker, it struck him that she might not even have a real bedroom at all back at her home. She was still in the foster system, and from the limited knowledge she'd told him he knew she wasn't in the best of hands. There was a reason she never came home for the holidays, and that Hux always called her _scavenger_.

Rey had lived a tough life, and she was still stuck in it. Ben wished that she would trust him more, so that he could help her somehow. She deserved so much more than the life of an abandoned orphan. She deserved the world.

***

Rey moved to Ben's night-table, carefully picking up a small clear ball with silvery details, a ring of gold around its circumference. 

"What's this?" She asked him, holding it up to the light. A red smoke suddenly appeared inside of it, and her eyes widened as she held it farther away from her. "Oh god, what did I do?"

Ben had no alarm on his smirking face at all, and she pulled it in closer to her with embarrassment. "It's a _remembrall_. It turns red like that when you've forgotten something." 

Rey squinted at the red smoke, wondering what on earth she might’ve forgotten, but ending up shrugging in defeat and setting it back on Ben's black night table with a click. She moved to his bed, plopping down on the black sheets with a sigh.

”Colourful,” she commented, smoothing her hands over the soft material. “Your bed seems really comfortable, though.”

”Thanks?” Ben moved to sit beside her, meeting her eyes. _God, he looks good today._ Rey looked at him expectantly, and after a few moments of comfortable but tense silence he started, “So-“

"Ben! We need some help down here!" A male voice that sounded like Han’s called from the bottom of the staircase, easily echoing up to the bedroom.

Ben promptly sighed, running a hand through his hair. “That’s my cue. Come on,” he gestured with his head for Rey to follow him, and together they left his room. Ben trudged down the stairs, irritated, and she resisted telling him to calm down.

He really was a different person in front of his parents, or rather, he definitely put on a show for them, becoming more of the golden boy they wanted. Rey wondered how they felt about him being a Slytherin, as she could tell neither of them were one. She wasn’t going to ask, but she guessed it was one of those unchangeable things they’d gotten used to after six years. 


	23. Chapter Twenty Three- Dinner

Han was waiting for them expectantly in the dining room, where tall stacks of white plates and handfuls of silvery cutlery were set out on the table.

"Alright crazy kids, mind setting the table?"

Ben sighed and opened his mouth to complain, but Rey couldn’t help but answer for them.

"Of course!" She chirped, ignoring the look Ben shot at the back of her head.

Poe was going to freak when he found out that's she'd not only met, but spoken with _the_ Han Solo. He was practically a celebrity in the wizarding world, and a childhood icon.

"Ben, you know your mother likes to give people two forks, so make sure you do it properly,” Han said.

"Yeah, I know," Ben muttered, giving his father a silent glare as he left the dining room. The tension in the air between those two was stifling, and very uncomfortable to experience.

Rey kept her eyes down on her work as she started setting the long dining table, carefully setting the plates down one by one. She was not about to chip one of Leia Organa's expensive belongings.

Ben stuck to the cutlery, for which Rey was glad, because she had no idea what Han was talking about when he'd said Leia liked to give people two forks. _Two forks? One's not enough?_

Obviously there was some table-setting etiquette she'd missed out on, because Ben kept moving the glasses she'd set down to the opposite side of the plate, occasionally glancing up at her. She kept focused, but she saw him watching her out of the corner of her eye.

***

When all of the guests were sitting down at the grand dining table for Christmas Eve dinner, there seemed to be a lot less people than Rey's thought. Headmaster Skywalker was the only family member she spotted, which was kind of depressing.

Ben had explained to her who everyone was _(which was mostly him retelling all of the gossip he'd heard from his parents)_ and most of them were family friends or acquaintances. Rey thought the Organa-Solo family would've been huge, not consisting of four people. Their family name was a legacy, but it seemed to be dying out. 

Rose has been _so_ right when she'd predicted that the food was going to be amazing. It was perhaps even better than the Christmas Feast at Hogwarts that Rey was forced to endure alone every year. Maybe it was just the setting of the Organa-Solo house, or the company of Ben sitting beside her and his family around them, but the food was still delicious. Herb-roasted turkey, three types of salad, mashed potatoes, Finn's mom's bread, and every other Christmas food staple you could imagine. It was as much a feast as the Hogwarts meal.

Rey tried some of everything, shamelessly stacking her plate with food, although she definitely resigned herself. This was not the time to gorge.

Despite being in a foreign place, with mostly foreign people, conversation came easy around the table. Professor Chewbacca, who happened to be Han’s best friend, was sitting across from her, and Rey found herself chatting up a storm with him and the other adults around them. She may be awkward with Ben, but keeping a conversation alive was a skill she was proud of.

Professor Chewbacca was on his second glass of red wine, and the words he was spewing seemed to be coming out thoughtlessly. Rey apprehensively nodded along to his tangent about his job salary, sharing a knowing look with Ben.

"I have to bring it up," Chewbacca warned gruffly, taking a long sip of his wine. "When did you two get together? I never would've imagined it."

Rey choked on her cup of water, quickly wiping her mouth and sputtering to reply.

"We're not together," She and Ben said in unison, giving each other a tentative glance afterwards. Rey felt her face flare up with a blush, and she promptly continued sipping her water to cool herself down.

Professor Chewbacca simply barked out a laugh at their immediate response, but Rey didn't find it funny. Their relationship- or non-existence of one- was not a joke. It was just plain frustrating. Seconds later Chewbacca was deep in conversation with the guest beside him, and Rey was left feeling stuffed with food and tense with Ben as stiff as a board beside her.

The night progressed quickly, with an even more bountiful dessert course served after dinner and then people filling up the living room to chat. Rey stuck with Ben- as much as she'd like to die of embarrassment, she felt more comfortable in his presence. They talked about school and annoying teachers, and the night was happening just as Rey imagined until her phone started ringing.

 _Did I really forget to mute it?_ Rey hastily pulled it out of her back pocket, and ‘ _Finn’_ was displayed on screen. Ignoring the perplexed looks the wizards in the room gave her alien device, she excused herself from the couch to answer his call.

"Finn?" Rey asked, leaning against the wall of the abandoned corridor with the family pictures.

"Hey Rey," he replied, though there was something different about the tone of his voice. It wasn't nearly as chipper as it normally was. "How's the party going?"

"It's pretty good. What's up?"

"...Rey, have you looked outside in the past hour?"

She squinted at the wall. "No, why?"

Finn sighed through the phone, and his breath was shaking. "There is a _ridiculous_ snowstorm happening outside right now. Like, _ridiculous_. Blizzard level crazy. Really, I thought you'd know."

 _Not good, not good_. "Uh... _okay_. Where does the bad news come in?"

"Listen, I'm _really_ sorry, but my mom said she isn't risking our lives or yours by driving tonight."

Rey blinked, gripping her cellphone tighter in her hand. " _What_?"

"We can't pick you up. The storm's way too dangerous. Again, I'm really sorry. Poe lives a little closer, maybe you could call him?"

She couldn't even believe this was happening right now, to her of all people. If Finn's mom wasn't risking driving tonight, Poe's sure as hell wasn't.

"Okay," Was the only word Rey could get out. _What was she going to tell him, ‘it's okay’?_ _It wasn't. He was ditching her at someone's house!_

"Peanut, are you-"

"I'm fine. And I understand," She said slowly, more to keep herself calm than anything. "I'm going to call Poe now. Thanks for letting me know."

"Rey..."

"Bye, Finn," She said, desperate to hang up and bang her head against the wall.

"Bye..." He replied, and she was jamming her finger onto the _end call_ button before he could say another excuse.

 _Why me, why me?_ Rey leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes as she ground her teeth together. _She. Was. Screwed._

"Rey, dear, are you alright?"

Her eyes flashed open and landed on Leia, who was standing at the end of the corridor. She could so easily say _yes_ , but... there was something about that woman that made her want to be honest.

"My friend, the one who was supposed to pick me up, he said he can't get me," Rey explained, exasperated. "He said there's a... snowstorm or something."

Leia's eyebrows rose high in surprise. "Shall we go look?"

Rey nodded, following the woman to the front door where she'd entered their home hours ago. Leia pulled open the door and they were both met with a rush of freezing wind and snowflakes in their faces. Rey stepped forward instinctively, gaping at the sight of the endless snowfall in front of her. _What the hell?_

There seemed to be a whole foot of snow already on the ground, and the parked cars were blanketed with it. There was no one driving or walking around.

"Han!" Leia called behind her, and a few moments later her husband was begrudgingly coming up to them. "Look at this."

He peered out the door, raising his eyebrows. "That's not good, dear."

"We need to inform all of the guests immediately. Some may still be able to get home,” Leia told him. Han nodded, but made no move to follow her request. "Han?"

"I'll go do that," he replied, leaving the women standing by the door.

Rey played with the edge of her sweater. "I guess I'm going to call my other friend now. He lives a bit closer."

Leia gave the snowstorm another wistful look and closed the door, lightly shaking her head. "You shouldn't risk their lives dear. Or yours."

"That's exactly what my other friend said," Rey muttered, meaning Finn was right _yet_ again.

"You can stay with us until the storm passes," Leia said with a kind smile, though if sounded more like a statement than a suggestion.

"Oh, I- I can't do that to you all..."

"Of course you can," Leia insisted. "We really don't mind."

"What about everyone else?"

"Most of the guests live around this neighbourhood," Leia explained. "So it shouldn't be too bad for them to drive home. If not, they can stay too. We have many guest rooms."

Rey bit her lip, a bad habit, but something she always did when she was trying to figure people out. Her messed up childhood had made her cynical, suspecting that everyone had a self-serving motive for what they did. But Leia... _What was her motive? What was her benefit?_

Rey didn't want to be a pain, a stranger staying in their house on Christmas Eve, but she knew Poe's response would be the same as Finn's, the same as Leia's. Too dangerous. She should be grateful for the offer.

"Are you sure?" Rey asked. Leia had offered, but she still felt like she was crossing some invisible boundary.

"Of course, dear. Let's go back to the living room and see what mess my husband has created."

***

Ben hated their stupid annual Christmas Eve dinner parties.

He hated the arrogant adults who always asked him which of his parents' careers he was going to follow, and he he hated all of the stupid drunken jokes people made at his expense. It was all just a big spectacle for his parents to stay well-liked in the ministry and general public.

Everyone was crowding around the back door, or any other window available to see the snowstorm happening outside. Ben couldn't care less about the weather, except he had a feeling his mother was about to make some very impulsive offers.

She would tell him Christmas was about friends and family, that he should be more caring towards others. _But what about their family?_ He didn't want a bunch of his parents' friends sleeping in his house, but of course, his mother couldn’t care less.

He was broken out of his stupor as Rey plopped down on the couch beside him, face flushed red like she'd been outside. He wanted to reach out and touch her face to find out, but he didn't.

She glanced over at him, the unmistakable look of _you're not going to like this_ plastered on her face. 

"So," Rey started, tightly clasping her hands together in her lap. "Apparently I'm staying at your house now," He blinked, “until the storm passes."

Her teeth were slightly gritted as she waited for his reaction. He didn't know what to think. _Rey, sleeping over at his house? On Christmas Eve?_ Who would've known.

"Oh," was all he could say, pressing his lips together. Rey's gritted teeth turned into even more of a grimace.

"Finn called and told me he couldn't pick me up, and your mother insisted, so..." She sighed to herself. "I don't know, I'm sorry. This is weird for both for us."

"Agreed," Ben replied, cursing himself for being so honest when she glanced away to the window. _Why couldn't he just tell her he didn't mind? That it was okay?_

***

The majority of the crowd by the window started moving away towards the front door, mumbling about clearing off their cars.

Rey worried at her bottom lip, running her fingers along the material of the couch. She almost wanted more people to stay, just so she wouldn't be the only one. _Please let me not be the only one._

Luckily, she was not. Professor Chewbacca and a few other adults were way too inebriated to drive, so they were stuck at the house just like her. At least that would alleviate some of the awkwardness. But there was still Ben... She was sleeping over at his house for all of the wrong reasons.

Ben seemed to get restless sitting in silence beside her, resulting to turning on the television. Rey wasn't surprised that the Organa-Solo's had a TV. It was still considered 'muggle technology' but most modern wizard families owned one of they had the money, mostly to keep up with Muggle news since newspapers were losing popularity. It was a nice big flat screen, and Ben flipped it to the local news.

Footage of the crazy snowstorm was playing, and a poor woman wrapped up in a bundle was reporting. It was supposed to last all through the night. 

 _Maybe it's fate_ , Rey thought numbly, wishing she could lean her head against Ben's shoulder and rest. _Maybe it's fate_.

"Do you watch any TV shows?" She asked him, and it took a moment for his eyes to snap away from the screen.

"No. We don't have cable, just an antenna to get the news."

Rey squinted a little. "How do you know what cable is?" Any language past the word _television_ was unknown to most wizards.

Ben seemed hesitant to answer, mouth opening but no words coming out. "Uh... I read about it. In a book."

"A book?" Rey asked, quirking a brow.

"For Muggle Studies."

"Oh, right," She said, nodding her head. "Does it interest you, though? Muggle stuff?" 

It was half curiosity and half a test. Wizards tended to discriminate against muggles, like their lives were worth less because they didn't have magical abilities. She’d dealt with people like that ever since she started school at Hogwarts.

Ben worked his jaw as he looked at her, as if deciding whether he should tell the truth or not. Rey didn't know why he didn't trust her. She'd be the last person to actually make fun of him.

"Yeah, it does," he answered, growing more confident as her face remained neutral. "I think it's stupid how far behind the wizarding world has fallen... and I really want a cellphone."

Rey couldn't restrain her laugh, and even Ben’s lips quirked up into a smile. "They're more of a curse than a blessing, honestly. Cellphones cause a lot of problems."

"Doesn't stop me from wanting one," Ben replied shamelessly, eyes trailing her movements as she slipped her cellphone out of her back pocket. He was silent, but Rey could see the desire in his gaze.

"Do you want to look at mine?"

“Sure.” Ben nodded, and Rey quickly typed in her passcode before handing it over to him.

Her mind was already screaming " _Mistake! Mistake!_ " because she had some embarrassing things on there. Weird memes, way too many selfies... all she could do was shift closer to him on the couch and watch his every tap with tense muscles.

"' _Candy Crush_ ', really?" Ben asked, looking through her games. Rey pressed her lips together, refusing to comment. His finger hovered over the photos app, and she shifted in her spot beside him.

"Don't go in that one," She warned, and the moment Ben glanced over at her with a smirk on his face she knew she'd made a serious mistake. " _Ben_ -"

"Why, what's in there?" He teased, outstretching his hand when she reached out to take her phone back. Rey whined, nostrils flaring.

"Ben, give me my phone-" She insisted, lunging forward to grab it from him. Ben moved his hand away just before she could touch it, and Rey ended up sprawled across his lap on her knees, fingers just out of reach of her cell. She turned her head to glare at him, both of their eyes flickering to the other's lips when they realized how intimate the position was.

"You kids okay?"

Ben clenched his jaw at the sight of his father peeking into the living room, wordlessly handing Rey back her phone. She moved off of him, fingers tingling as she gripped the hard metal.

"We're fine," Rey answered for then, voice small. Their huge house seemed pretty empty without all of the guests filling it. Maybe that was why they always invited people over. It felt lonely.

Han awkwardly coughed, attracting their attention again. "Ben, why don't you show Rey her room?"

" _Sure_ ," He pulled the word out, glancing at Rey before standing and leading her out of the room.

"The one beside yours!" Han added from the kitchen as they ascended the stairs. _Of course they had multiple guest rooms_.

It wasn't that late, but after the hour long car drive, the huge turkey dinner, and the whole mess that was the snowstorm fiasco, Rey was tired. It would be a relief to lay down and sleep, even though she knew that wasn't going to be happening tonight. She could never fall asleep in a place she'd never been in before. Another product of her screwed up childhood.

Leia was already waiting in the guest room, setting out extra pillows and blankets onto the bed, which was _huge_. She'd changed her hair from its fancy up-do into a bun, and smiled at the teens when they entered.

"I hope this room is alright for you, Rey," Leia said, giving the room a critical once-over. Rey almost felt like laughing.

"It's perfect," she replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "I promise."

Leia led her from the room and down the hallway, Ben trailing boredly behind them.

"This is the guest bathroom," she explained. "I was just putting together some toiletries for you. It'll be ready in a few minutes."

Rey felt all warm and happy, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling. No one had ever cared this much about her.  _Was this what it felt like to have a mother?_ "Thank you so much," she said. "For everything."

"You're very welcome, Rey," Leia said with a warm smile, and Rey could easily see why she'd been chosen as a ministry head. She was perfect for the job, intelligent and powerful but kind and caring.

Minutes later Rey was being handed a makeup bag full of everything she needed and ushered back into the guest bathroom with a stack of fresh towels.

She never would've asked to shower in their house, but she was tempted the moment she saw the fogged up glass door and shiny metallic inside. It was a really nice shower. She might as well take Leia up on the offer. Rey made sure to lock the door before she started stripping down, the cool air prickling goosebumps across her skin.

She hoped to god no one would knock on the door while she was in there, especially Ben. The thought was already spiking her anxiety, but also sending a shiver down her body as she turned in the water. _Maybe he’d join me in here,_ Rey thought, getting lost in her fantasy as the shower washed away the day’s crazy events and emotions.


	24. Chapter Twenty Four- Music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is having a good day! Enjoy the chapter ;)

He could hear the noise of the shower from his bedroom, water spraying and the distant sound of singing echoing through the drywall. They had a nice house and all, but the walls were annoyingly thin, and the guest bathroom was right next to his room. _Guest bathroom_... what his mother didn't tell Rey was that it was _his_ bathroom. She must've scrubbed it down some time that morning, because it looked way cleaner than he remembered when she was showing it to Rey.

 _Rey.._. she was in his shower, right at that moment. And she was singing songs he didn't know but with the sweetest voice possible. Ben didn't know how he was ever going to go in there again without thinking about her.

He was thinking about her then, no matter how hard he tried to get the image of her in his shower out of his head. It was making him uncomfortably hot all over his body, especially in a _certain_ area.

 _Not the time,_ he told himself, collapsing back against his bed and groaning into his pillow. The tenseness of his body wasn't going away no matter how hard he tried. _Control yourself._   _Stop. Thinking. About. Her._

***

Rey towelled herself off, shivering against the cool tile floor. The reflection of her flushed face was blurry in the fogged-up mirror, and she sighed as she wiped off the remaining mascara under her eyes that the shower hadn't washed away. She was never one to wear much makeup anyways, so she actually felt more comfortable being clean and fresh-faced than she was before.

The bathroom was undoubtably Ben's. There was a blue bottle of men's conditioner in the shower, and when Rey curiously popped it open to take a whiff, it smelled exactly like him. Or rather, he smiled like it. 

She wondered how often the Organa-Solo's welcomed random people into their homes like this. It was Christmas Eve- maybe they were just feeling bad for the girl with no ride home. Either way, at least Ben hadn't seemed too surprised when she'd told him she'd be sleeping over at his house, or when Leia had ushered her inside of his bathroom without a second-thought.

The awkwardness of the entire situation was slowly but surely killing her. At least this was going to turn out to be a great story to tell her friends when she got back to Hogwarts. 

A neat stack of folded women's pyjamas were waiting on the bed in her guest room, and Rey didn't hesitate to lock the door and pull them on. There was a full-length mirror against the wall, and she gave the polka-dotted set a tentative once-over. The pyjamas were a little big, but they would do. She wasn’t picky.

Rey plopped down on the edge of the bed, running her hands over the silken sheets before she towel-dried her hair. _Rich people_. This would, undoubtedly, be the nicest bed she'd ever lay down in. And Ben lived like this every day when he was at home... _Ben_. She felt it like it would be ruder to lock herself in the guest room all night than interrupt his alone time, so she crossed the room to unlock the door and entered the hall.

His room was the one beside hers, and the door was closed when she approached. Rey took a steadying breath and quietly knocked. She counted out the seconds she waited in her head, reaching ten when the door finally swung open, but only halfway. When Ben saw that it was her, he opened the door further and leaned against the doorway with amusement.

He was shirtless, only wearing black sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his waist. Rey was gaping at how toned he was for a disproportionate amount of time before her face turned beet red and she had the sense to look away. 

"Oh my god," she muttered, keeping her eyes firmly shut under her hand. "I'm sorry." She didn't even know why she was apologizing, because she hadn't done anything wrong, but it felt like she had. "Is there, uh, a shirt or something you could put on?" 

Ben was silent, and when Rey decided to drop her hand and reveal how flustered she was, he was smirking, arms crossed over his chest, which didn't help hide _anything_. 

She glanced over her shoulder to the stairway, instantly relieved to see no parents or other drunken house guests in sight. She swallowed hard, turning to Ben and forcing herself to keep her eyes on his and not on his abs. _How does he even have abs?_

"Shirt?" She asked again, firmer, and Ben sighed in defeat before he closed the door. A few moments later it reopened, and he was back wearing a black t-shirt. How fitting. 

"And what is it you want from me?" He asked, eyebrows slightly raised in question.

Rey scowled out of habit. "I don't want anything-" She paused. "Actually, that's a lie. I wanted to talk."

"It's pretty late at night, Rey. Are you sure that's all you wanted to do?"

She didn't know whether to roll her eyes or start blushing, so her body stayed still for a few seconds before she glanced away, ignoring him and his stupidly effective comments.

"Do you still have the iPod I gave you for your birthday?" 

Ben clenched his jaw at her evasion, but nodded in response to her question. "Of course. I wouldn't throw something like that away." 

 _Because it's useful, or because I gave it to you?_ "Is it here?" Ben nodded, and Rey's lips twitched into a smile. "Want me to show you how to use it?" 

"Might as well, since you're here," He answered, stepping back into his room to allow her entrance.

Rey walked in, closing the door behind her as she took in the beauty of the stars on his ceiling in the darkness. They glowed white like real ones- glow-in-the-dark paint maybe, or some enchantment she didn't know about. Either way, it was stunning. 

Ben was rummaging through his night-table on his knees, and Rey sat nearby on the edge of his bed. He held up the iPod triumphantly when he found it, handing it over to her. 

"We need the earbuds, too," she added, and the confused look on his face was priceless.

"The ear-whats?" 

Rey sighed, but she was smiling. "The...long white stringy things that were in the box." 

"Ah," Ben plucked them out a few moments later, and Rey stuck them into the audio jack with a satisfying click.

She shifted back on the bed until her back was against the wall. The mattress slightly dipped as Ben sat down beside her, watching her movements carefully as she powered the device on.

"So that thing, it plays music?" He asked, pointing at the iPod suspiciously. Rey didn't want to make him feel bad, so she held in her _are you kidding me_ look, deciding to nod instead.

"Muggle music only," She clarified, already racking her brain for what song to play for him. The playlist she'd had on the iPod was a bit outdated from the summer, but Ben wouldn't know any of the songs anyways. "I downloaded a playlist onto it using a laptop, so it'll be ready at any time." 

Ben was still looking at her like she was speaking another language, but he had the mind to keep his confusion in a non-verbal form. Rey stuck in an earbud, silently flipping through the first few songs she had until she found one good enough. She wanted the moment to feel special... make something good out of something bad.

"Here," Rey murmured, moving the other earbud to his ear. Ben jerked away instinctively, caught off-guard, but slowly allowed her to tuck his hair behind his hair and put it in. He swallowed thickly, carefully watching her movements as Rey gave him a reassuring smile and pressed the play button. 

 _Bohemian Rhapsody_ played through the earbuds, the opening soft and melodically beautiful. It was one of Rey's favourite songs, despite being what her friends called "old". She knew all of the lyrics by heart and had sung it full-out in the shower countless times. She had to resist singing it then, because she wanted Ben to enjoy the song without any distractions. 

His face was fairly passive, but Rey could see the soft smile on his lips, the far-off look in his eyes. She smiled too, because nothing was greater than the feelings she were experiencing now. Happiness? Tranquility? Rey didn't know, and she didn't care.

By the middle of the song they were both lost in the world of the music, and she barely registered it when their hands accidentally  brushed. Rey didn't hesitate to hold his hand when he silently shifted his own open, sighing contently and closing her eyes as she leaned her head back against the wall.

If only her life was really this perfect. Ben holding her hand and listening to music with her every night, maybe as her boyfriend. That would be pretty close to perfect for her.

Rey cracked open an eye, silently turning her head to see Ben with his eyes closed as well. He looked so peaceful like that, so calm and carefree. He seemed to sense her gaze and opened his eyes, a small smile on his lips.

"I like it," Ben murmured softly, referring to the song. He looked so handsome in that moment, dark eyes locked on hers, thumb gently running across her knuckles. It felt like time was standing still.

Rey could feel the tension in the air between them, simmering under the surface all day but threatening to boil over. An invisible magnetic force, drawing them together. She needed to do this.

Before she could stop herself she leaned closer to him, looking deep into his eyes to ask for silent permission before she connected their lips in a soft kiss. Her eyes fluttered shut, allowing all of her other senses to be magnified by the ecstasy of the moment.

The music was left forgotten as Ben deeply kissed her back and his hand found her waist, which encouraged her to take more control, moving her free hand up to the side of his face. Rey ran her fingertips along his cheekbones, his jaw, anything she could touch to commit his face to memory. She didn't feel like herself, like the song playing into her ears was transforming her into a different person. The distraction took away any awkwardness, at least.

Rey grew uncomfortable in her twisted position beside him, slowly shifting over until she was straddling Ben's lap. She held up most of her weight on her knees, not wanting to take things too fast, especially if it made him uncomfortable. The minimal contact they were sharing was already making her head spin, but in a good way. Apparently it didn't bother Ben, because seconds later he was gripping her waist and silenty urging her to rest on him and relax.

She shivered as his hands traveled up and down her back, strong but comforting in the gentleness of his touch. Maybe Ben really did care about her, want something more than the friendship they'd been living for the past few months. Rey certainly did, when her hands were tangled in his thick hair and she could taste him so closely on her tongue.

His hands skimmed lower and lower down her back, freezing at the waistband of her pants, and Ben broke apart from her lips to ask, "Is this okay?" 

Rey nodded, taking a moment to catch her breath as she panted against his face and his hands moved lower. Her heart was racing, and her body was alight with a flame that only being connected with Ben could extinguish. She shifted closer to him, if that was possible, and didn't miss the soft groan he made as she did, unmistakable pressure building underneath her. Her heart was racing with a hint of nervousness now, because she had no idea what she was doing.

She captured his lips again, experimentally shifting back and forth against him. A soft sigh escaped her own lips this time, and she was quick to hide it with another kiss. Ben heard it or felt it or both, because he was gripping her encouragingly.

“Keep going,” he breathed quickly, sending a wave of shivers over her body. So Rey did as best as she could until she got too exhausted and switched their positions so she was lying on her back with Ben on top of her. One of his hands was dug in her damp hair and his lips were panting against hers as he ground his hips against her.

The sensation was overwhelming in the best way, and Rey couldn't even bother holding back the foreign sounds escaping her lips. She didn't care. She just hoped no one else except for her or Ben could hear them. 

He broke away from her, moving to suck on her pulse point with such sensuality she was sure he was going to leave a mark. She wanted him to. Rey wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing them even closer together as she ran her hands over his back.

With the perfect combination of everything happening she felt herself coming undone, so easily that the feeling felt like the most natural in the world. Rey opened her eyes and shifted her gaze away from Ben and onto the stars on the ceiling, snaking her hand deeper into the soft hair at the back of his head and allowing herself to follow the encouraging but incoherent words he was murmuring in her ear.

Ben groaned into her mouth, and by the way he kissed and gripped her just a bit harder she knew he was enjoying the moment just as much as she was. They both gradually returned down from their highs, slowing down and panting against each other's faces. He carefully searched her eyes.

"Was that okay?" Ben asked softly, tucking a strand of damp hair away from her forehead and behind her ear. The earbuds had long since fallen out, laying abandoned on the bed beside them. "I'm sorry if I took it too far, I thought-"

"It was fine," Rey reassured, heart still racing and mind still spinning as she gently moved his black hair out of his eyes. She couldn't believe they'd just done that together. In Ben's house, on his bed, on Christmas Eve. _Crazy_. "It was amazing, actually."

He smirked, breathily laughing against her face as he kissed her again, more slowly and without the intense heat from a few minutes ago. Rey found his body weight on top of her was comforting, warm and strong and protecting from danger.

She lightly pushed back against his chest so she could catch her breath, and Ben collapsed beside her, both of them gazing up at the ceiling of stars. Rey fiddled beside her until she grasped the iPod and the earbuds again, but he was sitting on the edge of the bed now, looking over at her.

"I-uh," his face flushed crimson in the dark, "better get cleaned up."

Her eyes widened automatically, and she quickly scooted off his bed, nodding as her own face flushed. "Right." Rey leaned over and gave him a final chaste kiss on his cheek, which felt a little ridiculous considering what they'd just done, but still set her heart racing. "Merry Christmas Eve, Ben."

He smirked crookedly, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. "Merry Christmas Eve, Rey." 

She left his room with a final glance over her shoulder, closing his door behind her and shutting herself in her own room. Rey allowed herself to grin giddily, silently jumping up and down and diving into her bed. She was elated beyond whatever happiness she'd ever felt before, and despite it being late at night, she was in no mood to go to bed. Eventually, bundled up in the blankets and with the feeling of Ben against her still imprinted on her skin, Rey fell asleep in a stranger's house for the first time ever in her life.

That night, her dreams were filled with made-up images of celebrating old family Christmases with her parents.


	25. Chapter Twenty Five- Change

_It's Christmas_.

That was the first thought that entered Rey's mind when she awoke the next morning. _Christmas,_ a day she used to detest, simply because it was when she got the most jealous, the most depressed, but this year... things were so much different. Circumstances had changed in the best way possible. She was spending Christmas with Ben and his amazing family, at their beautiful huge house and with the promise of delicious food waiting for her when she decided to go downstairs for breakfast.

It was nearing nine o'clock, and while Rey would've loved to stay in bed sleeping for the next hour, she could hear the noise of rousing guests in the hallway. She sighed, dragging herself out of bed and dressing in the same clothes as yesterday.

***

As she was leaving the bathroom, she ran into Ben in the hallway while he was exiting his bedroom. He was wearing the same loose sweatpants and black t-shirt from last night, which only reminded her of just how intimately they'd been aquatinted. The memory made her blush, but she did nothing to hide it as he realized she was blocking his path to the bathroom. He still seemed half-asleep, rubbing at his eyes as he looked down at her.

"Morning, sweetheart," Ben grumbled sleepily, slowly brushing past her to the bathroom. Rey followed him with her eyes, swivelling in place.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Grinch," she teased, quirking a brow. He glanced back to her, eyebrows raising.

"Oh, right. Merry Christmas."

Rey playfully rolled her eyes, silently admiring his bed-head.A door opened down the hall, and a hungover looking Professor Chewbacca looked to the teenagers with a hairy hand pressed to his forehead.

"Merry Christmas, kids," he said, giving them a pained smile.

"Merry Christmas," Rey chirped and Ben grumbled as the professor slowly made his way down the stairs.

"I'd rather go down with you, if that's okay," She told Ben. She still felt like a stranger in their home, and he was her only remaining connection between herself and his parents since Professor Skywalker had gone home last night. 

"Yeah, that's good," Ben mumbled, dragging a hand across his face. He had pillow marks on his cheek, which Rey thought was adorable, but didn't mention. "I'm just gonna shower."

"I would join you," Rey began before she could stop herself, "but there are people around.”

Ben's eyes widened despite him supposedly being tired, and he swallowed hard before speaking. "I wish you would." He leaned down to give her a quick kiss, but Rey snaked her hand into his hair and it became a full-on make-out session in the hallway. She didn't even mind his morning breath.

Another door creaked open and they quickly broke apart before the person could see them, blindly calling out "Merry Christmas" as they waited for them to go downstairs.

"Now all I'm going to be thinking about in there is you," Ben murmured, giving her a wink to enforce what he was insinuating.

"Good," Rey replied, desperately trying to hide her smile. "I'll be waiting. Don't take too long."

"Believe me, I won't." He promised, smirking as he stepped further into the bathroom and made to close the door.

"Have fun," She murmured, only grinning once she turned away and locked herself in her room, feeling satisfied with herself. _Was this their relationship now? Flirting and sharing secret kisses?_ If so, she had zero problems with it whatsoever.

About ten minutes later Ben knocked on her door, hair still damp and smoothed back from his face. Rey couldn't resist going up on her tip-toes to kiss his lips, which were still wet from the shower. Her friends would call her love-sick, but she would just call it touch-starved.

"Shower was good?" She wondered, freezing for a moment as she remembered their prior conversation.

"Very," Ben replied, giving her a final kiss on the end of her nose. "Ready to go downstairs?"

"I suppose so," Rey muttered, following Ben's lead to the main level. His height completely blocked her view, so she moved beside him as they entered the kitchen.

His parents were deep in conversation, or bickering more like it, Leia sitting at the island sipping an espresso and Han frying bacon on the stove. Rey could hear the sound of guests in another room, evidently giving the couple their space. The argument froze as Leia noticed them enter the room.

"Merry Christmas!" She called, getting up to give Ben a tight hug. He barely patted his mother back, breaking away as soon as she loosened her grip. Rey was ready to just stand there and smile, but Leia enveloped her in a tight hug as well.

"Merry Christmas," Rey wished, returning the hug earnestly. She was smiling when they broke apart, giving the sizzling breakfast a longing look.

"It's almost ready, dear. Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee, tea, espresso?"

"Coffee, please," Rey replied, giving Ben an impressed look. She'd never even had coffee before, so she may as well accept the offer, especially since whatever coffee they owned would no doubt be top quality.

"I'll have some coffee, too," Ben said flatly, not even bothering to hide his irritation at being ignored. Leia hummed in acknowledgment, and Rey watched her pour dark liquid from a pot into two Christmas themed mugs.

Rey's had a delicately painted winter scene on it, snowflakes in the sky and little figures ice skating on a frozen pond. After dumping some cream and sugar into her mug, she took a tentative sip, bracing herself to spit it out if necessary. With all of the crap she put in it, it wasn't nearly as repulsive as she thought. Still not something she would purposely choose to drink again, but it was acceptable enough.

Ten minutes later she was seated at the dining table along with Ben, his parents, and the rest of the house guests who'd even forced to sleep over like her. Well, not technically forced, since they all owned cars, but most had been too drunk for Leia to allow them out of her sight.

There were tall stacks of fried eggs, bacon, and pancakes along the centre of the table, and Rey took a little of everything. This was like going on vacation- she had to experience all of it.

"So, Rey," Leia said between sips of her second espresso. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Rey almost choked on her coffee, even though Leia couldn't have possibly known what happened between her and Ben. She nodded as she took another sip. "Yes, very well, thank you."

She glanced over at Ben, who happened to be sitting beside her again, and found him equally as flustered. He was hiding a smirk behind his mug as he drank his own coffee, sending Rey a glance once he sensed her eyes on him. She minutely raised her eyebrows, and when she turned back she found both of Ben's parents looking at them.

Their gazes weren't scrutinizing, necessarily, but they were enough to make Rey glance away and keep her eyes down on her breakfast, which was just as delicious as she presumed.

She'd never even thought about Ben's parents, in terms of how they'd feel about her having a relationship with Ben like they were having now. _Would they approve of their son, a descendent of one of the most respected wizarding families in Britain, messing around with someone like her?_ Again, they seemed like very accepting people, but Rey wouldn't be surprised if they didn't jump out of their seats for her and Ben to get together.

"That snow is going to be a pain in the ass to shovel," Han muttered to no one in particular, and Leia shot him a look that said _stop speaking like that in front of our guests_. A few other people at the table muttered their agreement, but made no move to do anything about it. Perhaps their laziness was what encouraged Rey to speak up, or the fact that she wanted to impress Ben's parents.

"I can help out," She blurted, and everyone seated at the table looked at her with what she would characterize as awe. _Or disbelief. Or pity_. Her mouth kept moving even though her brain was already screaming at her to backpedal, because she already _knew_ how much of a bitch shovelling snow was normally, never mind after a blizzard. "It's the least I can do, after how much kindness you've shown me."

Han make an impressed face at his breakfast, probably happy he wouldn’t have to be breaking his back on Christmas. Leia looked surprised, hands clasped under her chin and giving Rey that ministry official look. 

"If you're sure," she said, eyes lighting up with an idea, "Ben, dear, why don't you help her with that?" 

Rey had to resist making a variety of facial expressions, which ranged from amusement to apologetic to _kill me now_. She didn't even have to look over at him to know what his face looked like. Ben sighed from beside her, and she saw him begrudgingly nod in her peripheral vision.

"Sorry," Rey quietly murmured to him, meeting his eyes. Ben shrugged, the corner of his mouth pulling up in a smirk.

"Guess you're stuck with me now."

"Guess I am," She replied, turning away from him to finish her delicious meal.

***

Rey had never seen so much snow on the ground in her entire life.

It came up over her knees and to Ben's mid-calf, so she was definitely worse off than he was. She was bundled up in her coat and boots, and Leia had gladly provided her with gloves and a winter hat. Ben was just as protected from the cold, and she could barely see his face because of the black scarf wrapped around his neck. 

The fact that all of the adults were currently tucked away inside by the fireplace with warm mugs of coffee only made Rey more spiteful that she'd volunteered herself for the job, but if  she said she was going to get the job done, so she was going to get the job done. No matter how many jokes Ben cracked to distract her. 

He handed her a sturdy metal shovel from the garage, and took a step back to lean forward on his own. Rey glanced over at him with her arms poised in a digging stance. 

"Ben," she said, "what are you doing?" The fact that he was just standing there while she was about to be doing all of the work was _not_ okay. He gave her a look like she was being ridiculous for accusing him of doing nothing. 

"I'm watching you," He answered matter-of-factly, and Rey had to resist rolling her eyes. 

"Well, that's not creepy at all," she muttered, bringing the shovel down on the snow and forcing it forward with a subdued groan. Ben opened his mouth to say something else back, but Rey spoke again before he could. "Hey, can you help me out here?" 

He joined her shovelling efforts, and before long the simple task had been turned into a competition for who could clear their side of the driveway the fastest, carefully avoiding parked cars on the way. Ben may have beaten her at quidditch, but she was determined to beat him at this, and every other opportunity that came around. She could tell by how often he was complaining that this wasn't the type of thing he did often, or least volunteered himself for.

At one point Rey started putting her shovelled snow onto his side of the driveway, smiling wickedly as she continued. Unfortunately, it didn't take him long to notice. 

"Rey!" He whined, and she turned around with a grin to be hit squarely in the chest with a snowball.

She gasped, glancing up at Ben, who looked way too pleased with himself. She moved to a snowbank behind her and had a sizeable snowball in her hands in seconds. He tried to dodge her attack before she even threw, ducking behind a car, but Rey ended up hitting him on the shoulder anyway. 

The snow-shovelling completion turned into a snowball fight, and Rey's cheeks were aching from how much she was smiling and laughing by the time she was too tired out to continue.

"Okay, truce, truce," She breathed, bending over with her hands on her knees to catch her breath. Her body was definitely overheating now from how much she'd been sweating. Rey straightened, turning back to Ben. "That was so much-" 

A freezing cold snowball collided right into her face, smashing all over her cheeks and forehead and eyes in a burst of ice. Rey gaped, blindly trying to clear her vision with her numb fingers and thick mittens.

She was more shocked than angry, but her resting bitch face must've been in full effect because Ben's laughter died out instantly once he saw she wasn't as amused as he was.

"Rey, are you okay?" He asked quickly, and she could see through the snow melting on her face that he'd stepped up to her. An idea crossed her mind, and before she could convince herself it was cruel her body decided to follow it.

She scrunched up in her face in the most realistic _I'm about to cry_ expression she could, choking out a sound as she brought her mittens up to cover her face. Her eyes were closed, but she could just imagine the expression on Ben's face.

"Are you okay?" He repeated, actually sounding worried. She felt his hand tentatively rest on her shoulder in what would've been a comforting gesture but just translated awkwardness. A choked out laugh escaped her lips, but it must've sounded like another sob because she could hear the grimace in Ben's voice. "Rey, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to hit you in the face. Do I need to get help?  _Oh god_..."

He actually sounded really worried for her, and the guilt was getting overwhelming, so she dropped her hands and was grinning up at him in seconds. 

"Got you!" She exclaimed, and the way Ben's jaw dropped was priceless. Rey doubled over with laughter, clutching at her stomach as she wiped fresh tears from her eyes. "Ah, that was so good." 

Ben worked his jaw, crossing his arms all defensively like it would make her feel intimidated, but he was borderline adorable in his black puffer jacket. "I can't believe you did that."

Rey grinned shamelessly, wiping the remnants of his snowball of her cheeks. Her face was burning. "It's not like you didn't deserve it.” 

"True," Ben admitted, bringing his hand up to her cheek. Rey quirked a brow in question as his gloved thumb ran across her cheekbone. "Snow," he answered.

"I'm pretty confident I got it all-" She started, only to be interrupted by Ben firmly pressing his lips against hers. She stumbled backwards a step, but he easily caught her before she could fall, wrapping his arms around her waist. The cold and the snowball had made her face fairly numb, yet her cheeks were rushing with heat as she fumbled to grab a hold of him with her mittens and all of the layers between them. 

His mouth was hot against hers, the faint taste of the morning's coffee on his lips. Her whole being ached to get herself of her annoying winter gear, but it was way too cold for her to even remove her gloves. 

Ben turned her around, backing her up against someone’s car. _Someone’s car!_ She really didn't want to stop, but the thought of Han and Leia and the houseguests watching them though the blinds was enough to make Rey plant her hands on his chest and slowly break them apart. Ben pouted down at her, face just as flushed as hers.

“What is it?” He asked breathlessly, white clouds in the air as he panted.

"Your parents might be watching," she explained, and Ben's cringe was immediate. 

"You're right." He glanced nervously towards the window. "Later, then."

Rey picked up her shovel again, quickly finishing off her shovelling job. "I think Finn's going to be picking me up later. I have to call him when we go back in." 

"Or you could stay," Ben said from behind her, gently taking the shovel from her to finish her shovelling. Rey was too tired out to complain, so she stepped back and let him do the work. 

"You know I can't," She murmured, and Ben didn't say anything in response, continuing to shovel silently. Rey moved towards the edge of the porch, sitting down on one of the frozen steps as she waited for him to finish. If one thing was true, this was not how she'd imagined her Christmas day going. 

*** 

"We'll be there in a few hours, alright? After lunch, but before dinner," Finn explained over the phone. He sounded chipper, as always, and had started their conversation by wishing her a merry Christmas.

"Sounds good," Rey replied, clicking her teeth in the silence that followed. "Thanks, again. See you soon. Merry Christmas.”

"See you soon, Peanut." 

Rey hung up, pocketing her phone in the back pocket of her pants as she moved into the living room where Ben was reading a book of all things. She stood by the end of the couch, not wanting to interrupt him, until he looked up at her.

"Finn's picking me up before dinner."

"Great," he replied boredly, returning to his book. Rey frowned and sat down beside him. 

"You okay?" She asked, placing her hand on his knee, which made him look up at her immediately. "It's Christmas, Ben. Decorate some cookies. Watch cheesy movies. Sing Christmas carols, I don't know. Just something that's not... existing."

He shut his book, keeping his eyes frozen on hers. "Christmas has always just been about existing for me. Even when I was a kid." Rey felt a pang of empathy in her own heart, and she held in her disbelief as she rubbed his knee soothingly.

"Same here. This is the first time I've ever done anything like this, at least that I can remember." 

Ben looked down, and the last thing she wanted was for him to pity her, but he patted her thigh instead. "You deserve better. I hope you know that." 

Rey softly smiled at him, allowing herself to accept his words, if only for the moment. 

"Ben..." She started, swallowing the lump growing her throat. She hated talking about her feelings, but this was important. "Whatever we have... I don't want it to all go away, when we go back to school." 

He blinked, slowly absorbing her words. Rey didn't know what she’d expected from him. It wasn’t like she’d thought he'd immediately agree and ask to be her boyfriend, but she at least thought it'd be more than sitting there in silence.

"Me too," he finally said, though she hated to admit it sounded a little forced, like when someone says _I love you_ and the other person feels pressured to say _I love you too_ back. "So... What is it you want out of all this?"

Rey glanced away as she thought, his heavy gaze too distracting for her to look at. "I don't know..." she murmured honestly, shrugging her shoulders to reiterate. "I know it's going to be hard, with you being a Slytherin and all." 

That was a fact they'd both been ignoring. Ben and his Slytherin friends who loved to harass her and would surely never rest if they knew what'd transpired between them over the winter break. 

"Well... what if we go back, and like you said, nothing changes. We continue what we have now, and see what happens." It wasn't the ideal outcome she'd wanted, but it was the best one they'd come up with.

"Okay," Rey agreed. "That sounds good."

She just hoped he'd live up to his words, because she still remembered how distant he'd acted after their first kiss earlier that month. Like it never happened. But this time, Rey was not going to let herself go ignored. She wasn't some thing for Ben to play with when no one was around, to enjoy at his leisure, but ignore in front of his friends. If he really liked her, he'd make the same effort she was.

”How about we continue what we were doing outside?” She suggested, smirking wickedly as Ben immediately whipped his book onto a side table and flattened her against the sofa. Hopefully no one would walk in. 

Rey laughed as he showered her with kisses, sending shivers down her body. This was the best Christmas present she could ever receive. 

“Weird question-“ she interrupted, shifting underneath him so she was sitting up more. “But...can you read to me?”

Ben raised his eyebrows. “You want me to?”

”I like your voice,” Rey said sheepishly, “and I’m tired.” 

“You like my voice, huh?” He murmured in her ear, enveloping her lips again in a heated kiss. 

“Can you please read?”

Ben sighed as he removed himself from her, reaching across the couch to retrieve his book. It looked like a wizard novel, with a decorative cover.

Rey tucked herself into his chest, warmth from his body sleeping through. She already knew it was only a matter of time before she fell asleep, with his soothing voice murmuring in her ear and one hand subconsciously stroking hers.

She wished things could stay like this forever. 


	26. Chapter Twenty Six- January

"So," Poe said between big bites of buttermilk waffle, "What happened over at Ben's house?"

The great hall was always busiest during breakfast, for which Rey was grateful. The background noise of students chatting over their meals was almost enough to drown out his voice. 

She took a slow sip of her cup of juice, glancing over at him with raised brows.

"What do you mean?" She asked, a little too innocently to be believable. Poe gave her a look that proved it.

" _Well_ , you stayed over at his house. Did anything go down?"

Rey could practically hear the jeopardy theme song playing in her head, ticking down the time she had to answer before he got too suspicious, before her silence meant ' _yes_ '. She'd planned on telling her friends about everything, but for some reason her mouth was staying shut. 

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"I can't talk about it," She insisted, pressing her palms to her cheeks as she felt her face heat up by itself. "But... stuff happened.” Rose gave her a curious look from across the table, and Rey winked at her before facing Poe again. "Use your imagination," she suggested. "Actually, don't. That's weird."

Poe frowned at her suspiciously, pushing around the food on his plate, " _Okay_..." He said slowly, dragging out the word as he shot the others at the table questioning glances. 

Thankfully, Finn and Rose remained loyally silent, minutely shrugging their shoulders at him. Rey made a plan in her head to tell Rose about what had happened with Ben some time in the future. She was still too embarrassed to talk about it so soon after it'd taken place, and she was definitely floundering for the correct vocabulary. Maybe Rose would even give her some advice, though Rey already knew she'd be horrified by it.

***

Rey entered the Potions classroom that first morning back to the school with her textbook and papers clutched to her chest. Her heart had been hammering since she woke up, with uneasiness and anticipation for the day to come. And because of Ben, of course.

The start-of-class bell had yet to ring and students were still filling the room, but the moment Ben locked eyes with her she felt like there was no one else around. It felt like the air between them had been electrified, and with one wrong move Rey could be shocked. Like by secretly messing around with Ben she'd drenched herself in water, and there were open wires everywhere.

His eyes followed her until she sat down beside him, setting her things down with a small sigh of relief. Rey smoothed down her hair, glancing over at Ben expectantly when he continued to watch her.

"How was your weekend?" He asked, casually leaning on his elbow.

"Fairly boring, if I'm being honest."

"That's too bad," Ben responded, and Rey blinked at him questioningly.

"Why, what amazing things did Ben Solo get up to?" 

He scowled, but the expression only lasted a few moments. "Nothing. I've been listening to music on the iPod you gave me."

 _That's not nothing, but whatever._ The corners of her lips twitched up into a genuine smile, because she was happy that he was actually using her gift when she wasn't around forcing him to do so.

"I'm glad," Rey replied, mindlessly toying with the edge of her skirt. It must have looked flirtatious, because Ben was glancing down at the movement with dark eyes. She stopped as soon as she realized what she must be doing to him.

Ben leaned in closer to her, lowering his voice so no one else would hear. She didn't back away.

"I thought about you, you know," he murmured quietly, and Rey had no clue how he managed to appear so put-together when she felt like she was falling apart. "What we did." 

Her heart was hammering, and she glanced towards Snoke's desk to make sure he was still occupied before she responded. This was not a conversation she'd like to 'share with the class'.

"And?"

Ben glanced down to the space between them, tracing a wood grain with his finger. "I don't know," he said, and the hunger in his voice from a moment ago was gone. "I wish this was summer, or something. That we had more... private time. You know?"

Rey nodded, and the reality of their situation hit her like a wall of bricks. Hogwarts wasn't exactly the best place to grow a relationship. With the workload, exams, and all of the other house drama, even close friends could be torn apart. And there was definitely no time or place for a rendezvous.

"Yeah," she agreed, slowly straightening in her chair as she noticed Snoke stand from his desk to start the lesson. "We'll talk later, okay?"

Ben nodded in her peripheral, and Snoke was droning on about how he'd specifically told them there'd be a quiz when they returned from their break before she could say another word to him.

Once all of the students were finished filling in their pop quizzes and working on other assignments, Snoke approached Rey and Ben's shared desk. She looked up at him expectantly, because surely he was there to say she'd made some huge error on her work, but was surprised to see him acting as if she was invisible.

Ben looked up next, and set down his pen when he realized Snoke was there to speak with him. Only Ben would be the type of person who wrote with a pen. He'd say it was because of efficiency, but she knew it was because he didn't think he'd be making any mistakes to erase.

"You need to stop by at the end of the school day," Snoke said quietly, just loud enough for Rey to eavesdrop. Snoke seemed to realize she was still sitting there beside them, and said, louder, "For the extra-credit assignment you were speaking to me about."

Rey pretended like she couldn't care less, acting like her half-filled in worksheet was the most interesting thing in the world, but Snoke's words had triggered a memory in her head. Ben and Snoke and that dark arts book. _How could she have forgotten?_

"I'll be there, Sir," Ben said, tentatively glancing down to his worksheet in silent dismissal. Snoke walked away wordlessly. 

"Since when did you need extra credit?" Rey asked suspiciously, studying his face for any small signs of deception.

Ben pressed his lips together before he looked over at her, and the alarm bells in her head were instantly ringing.

"I didn't do too well on the last test, so I'm making up for it," he explained evenly. "Don't rub it in."

Rey quickly rolled her eyes as she glanced away. "Alright."

But she wasn't going to be forgetting about it this time. 

*** 

Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins. That would be the true test.

Rey could just imagine all of the orphan-themed Christmas jokes Hux would be making before she even stepped in the class, but he kept his thoughts in the form of a cold glare as she passed by him to reach her seat. 

She turned around in her chair to hang her book bag over the chair, and her throat clenched as she saw Hux leaning towards Ben and whispering something. Rey faced the front of the room before either of them could notice her looking.

Hux's words from so long ago echoed into her head, and Rey clenched her jaw as she remembered. _He called me a scavenger slut. How had he even known about our kiss? And what horrible names would he be calling me now, knowing what Ben and I have done?_  

She tried to shake away the thoughts, but Hux's annoying voice was still quietly hissing behind her like the snake he was. Rey was so close to whipping around and telling him to shut up when Headmaster Skywalker stood from his seat and started the lesson. _Lucky bastard._

***

Rey tentatively turned in her seat, resting her worksheet on the edge of the desk behind her, where Ben, Hux, and Phasma were seated. 

Ben met her eyes almost instantly, and the way he was looking up at her through his lashes was sinful. She glanced down to her sheet, flipping it so it was right-side up for him. 

"Did you get number seven?" She asked.

Ben made one of those minute facial expressions that disappeared before she could process it. He wordlessly handed her his own sheet, as if staying silent would detract from their interaction. Phasma seemed uninterested, but Hux was glaring daggers at her. Rey ignored him, copying Ben's answer onto her own page before giving it back to him.

"Thanks, Ben," she said with a small smile. The answer had been stumping her for awhile, and it wasn't a surprise that Ben had his entire sheet already filled out.

"Welcome, Rey," he replied, lips twitching up in the closest thing to a smile she'd seen him do in front of his friends. It was enough. 

However, her good mood didn't last for long. About halfway through the class, when most students were finished their worksheets, Headmaster Skywalker decided to start the next activity. _Activity_. Rey hated activities, at least when they were with the Slytherins. Activities meant talking, and talking meant situations that didn't need to happen. 

"You will be practicing the defensive and protective non-verbal spells from your worksheet," he announced, waiting a few beats as if regretting what he was going to say, "with a partner that will be chosen randomly."

The class collectively groaned, and Rey just huffed in annoyance. Of course Skywalker would want to advocate for unity between the houses.

He used his mahogany wand to draw names out a box, reading them aloud with as much enthusiasm as he could. She perked up as she heard her name. 

"Rey, and..." Skywalker drew out the next name and shot her an apologetic glance. "Armitage."

Why wasn't she surprised? Rey didn't even glance back at Hux, too irritated to see the annoying expression on his face. Once Skywalker was finished pairing everyone up, he sent them to various areas of the room. She was ushered to one of the windows, where Hux was leaning against a countertop.

"Remember, this is just practice, so it's not being marked. Yet," Skywalker told the class. "Begin!”

Before Rey could even raise her wand, Hux was opening his mouth and making a comment. 

"I'm surprised that he'd go for someone like you," he started, raising his wand in a defensive stance as if that would fool all of he onlookers that they were practicing. "Or more like, that you'd go for someone like him." 

"What are you talking about?" Rey snapped, narrowing her eyes.

Hux raised his eyebrows as if surprised, and his eyes shifted to across the room. Rey didn't turn around to see who he was looking at. She knew. 

"It's none of your business," She told him, outstretching her wand arm. "Can we just do the activity?"

"Fine," he snapped, clenching his jaw. "I'm going first." 

Rey saw the concentration in his eyes as he attempted the non-verbal spell. Her job was to deflect it, but when he wasn't saying it aloud, it would be nearly impossible.

A scarlet light shot from his wand and in her head she screamed _protego_!

Hux's expilliarmus charm was deflected by an invisible barrier in front of her, sizzling away into nothing inches from her face.

Rey gripped her wand tighter, preparing herself for her turn to curse him, but another light was shooting from his wand before she could even blink.

Except it wasn't just a light. It was a jet of orange and red flames of the incendio spell coming straight towards her with a death mission. 

Rey barely had the time to raise her arm in front of her face, catching the spell on her forearm. Soft flames licked up the sleeve of her sweater, and she gaped at the sight for a dangerous amount of time before reacting.

"Aquamenti, aquamenti, _aquamenti_!" Rey said frantically, and the third time she said the spell a stream of crystal clear water shot from her wand and extinguished the flames. 

She glared up at Hux, anger burning as hot as the fire hex he'd shot at her. She was fuming, and her entire arm was now drenched with water.

"What the fu-"

"Everything alright over there?" Headmaster Skywalker called from across the class.

_Hux just set me on freaking fire, so no, I'm not alright._

"We're fine, Headmaster," Hux coolly answered for them, "Kenobi just had an accident." Rey shot him a look that could kill.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She said through gritted teeth, stepping closer to him so she could keep her voice down. "You could've burned me!" 

"It's not my fault you weren't prepared," he retorted, looking her up and down disdainfully as she approached. "Pay more attention next time."

White hot anger flashed across her vision, hand flinching as she fantasized about slapping him across the face as hard as she could. But she didn't. Rey took a steadying breath, clenching her hands into fists at her sides.

"You're an insufferable asshole, Hux. I hope you know that."

"And you're just a temporary pet," he responded, and the words stung more than they should've. "A few weeks from now, you'll be nothing more than a name." His lips twitched up into a cruel smile. "Just wait."

 _You're wrong_. Rey swallowed the lump in her throat, succumbing to the pressure building inside of her and glancing over her shoulder to Ben. He was smirking in the classic devilish way he always did with her, looking like he was enjoying himself perfectly fine with Phasma as his partner.

He met her gaze from the opposite side of the classroom, smirk slowly fading as he saw her expression. Rey flickered her eyes away, turning back to Hux with a twisted feeling in her stomach, which must've been exactly the reaction he wanted.

"Let's practice," she told Hux firmly, raising her wand, "and it's my turn to cast."

*** 

"Rey."

She sighed to herself in annoyance as she adjusted the focus lens on the telescope. _Ben must've tinkered with it, because it was never this blurry-_

"Rey," Ben repeated, and she finally glanced up at him. 

"That's my name," she replied, "don't wear it out." 

Ben rolled his eyes. "Are you alright?"

Rey returned to her telescope work, muttering a "yes" as she tried adjusting the focus lens again. No matter how much she spun it, both ways and everything, it stayed blurry. "What did you do to this thing?"

"Nothing. It was already like that when I used it," Ben explained. "Seriously though, are you okay? You've been acting weird since after lunch."

 

"It's nothing," she replied with a shake of her head. _He wouldn't understand, so what was the point in telling him?_ "Can we not talk about it?" 

"Fine," Ben said dismissively, crossing his arms. "But someday, I'm not going to be ignoring things like that." 

 _Someday. He thinks there's a someday for us_?  The thought sent flutters through her heart, but she couldn't ignore things either.

"What'd you do after-school?" Rey asked innocently, still toying with the telescope as she spoke.

Ben gave her a look. "I... did my homework." 

She straightened away from the telescope, suddenly feeling her pulse jump with anxiety. "You stayed in your common room the entire time?"

" _Yeah_ ," Ben said slowly, still looking confused as to why she was asking him such a stupid question. 

Rey pressed her lips together, thinking about her next step. _Straight for the accusation? Or more games?_ She didn't want to be cruel, although he did deserve it for lying. 

"So you never went to visit Snoke for the extra-credit?"

Ben paled even more than she thought was possible as he realized he'd been caught in a lie. By _her_. The guilt was plainly written on his face, clear as day.

"Did you?"

"I did," Ben answered, working his jaw. "Just forgot to mention it."

Rey hummed, tilting her head curiously as she held his gaze. Ben shifted his eyes down to the floor and she felt a twinge of guilt herself.

"I want to trust you," she started, resting one hand on the telescope as Ben met her eyes. The low mumble of the other students in the classroom easily drowned out their quiet conversation. "But I've seen things I can't ignore, or forget. And I don't know what to do."

His adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, looking down at her with a crease forming between his brows.

"You can trust me. You _need_ to trust me. Okay?" Ben stepped closer to her, resting his hand gently on her shoulder. His touch burned. "Please understand that there're things I can't tell you. At least not yet."

Rey looked up into his big, brown eyes, and felt the deep connection within her body that always drew her towards him. That begged her to forgive and forget about what she'd seen, what Ben had done. But she was better than that. She didn't want to become another name on the list of people he'd screwed over.

"I do trust you, Ben," Rey said, glancing down to his hand still on her shoulder. "Too much, I think." 

"Rey," he sighed, but wasn't with annoyance. "Please."

"What do you want from me? My silence? Because I can't do that, Ben. I need to know what's going on."

"There are bigger things at play here," Ben said mysteriously, and Rey couldn't resist squinting at him, "one day, I promise you'll know." 

"Soon?" She asked.

Ben pressed his lips together, either in a lie or in defeat. Rey couldn't tell. "Soon," he promised quietly. "Soon."

***

They walked side-by-side down a random corridor, slowly making their way back to their dormitories in a comfortable silence. Rey's head was too full of false promises for her to make much conversation anyway, so she didn't mind. It was peaceful. 

The Ravenclaw Common Room entrance came into view once they turned a corner, but Ben pulled her aside into another abandoned corridor before she could reach the door. 

He reached into his back pocket, and Rey suspiciously watched him dig around. Her pulse stilled as Ben revealed a small silvery ring in his pale hand, holding it out to her. She glanced confusedly between his face and the object.

"It's just a ring," he said at her mix of facial expressions, nudging it into her hands.

"Why are you giving me this?" Rey asked curiously, sliding it onto her ring finger without any second guesses. Ben wouldn't dare curse her. 

"There's a quidditch match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff this weekend. I know you won't want to publicly support me because of your friends and all-" Rey rolled her eyes, "-but it would be nice if you would wear it for me."

Wear it for me. Rey liked the words coming from him. The ring was a simple silver band decorated with a central green stone and other little ones beside it. Simple, but beautiful. A gift. 

"I'll wear it," She breathed, smiling up at him. "Thank you."

His lips twitched up in response, and before she could think about anyone catching them Rey stood up on her tip-toes and kissed him soundly on the mouth.

Ben wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in so she was pressed flush against him. The contact made her body burn and tingle everywhere, like she was electrified. His hair was velvety soft as she ran her hands through it, relishing in the fact that no one else got to do this with him. Only her. 

She parted her lips and kissed him deeper, tasting him on her tongue. It was the best feeling in the world. _Why do we have to be at school?_

Rey didn't want to stop, but as Ben switched their positions and backed her up against the stone-brick wall of the corridor, she was reminded of where exactly they were.His hands were fiery hot on her waist, and his lips were so tantalizing she was almost hypnotized. But this was too risky, even for her. She couldn't back up to break the kiss, so she lightly pushed him away instead.

Ben's eyes instantly filled with worry, searching her face. "Are you okay? Did I do something?" 

"No, no," Rey assured, sliding herself away from the wall. "But I just can't do this... _here_." It was a dangerous game of chance, and she did not want to risk them getting caught.

Ben sighed, hand brushing against hers. Her heart fluttered as he ran his thumb over the ring he'd given her, a protective look in his brown eyes.

"Alright," Ben replied, giving her hand a final squeeze before backing away. She felt cold without his warm touch, like he was a drug she was addicted to. She wished she hadn't stopped their moment. "Stay smart, Kenobi. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Rey said, already missing the feeling of his body pressed against hers, how perfectly they fit together. She watched Ben smirk at her and turn away, all too confident in himself. Why shouldn't he be? She was completely and utterly caught in his trap.

Summer really couldn't come soon enough. Her body was already aching to be physical with him without having to wonder if they were going to get caught by a teacher. She hoped to god her foster guardian would let her go visit the Organa-Solo house during the break, though his disapproval wouldn't stop her from seeing Ben. Nothing could.


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven- Closer

The snow had miraculously stopped, and just in time for the weekend quidditch match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Despite fresh snow from the last week blanketing the ground and the cold winter chill in the air, most of the students still showed up to watch the game, including Rey, Poe, Finn, and Rose.

It was rare for them all to be watching a quidditch game at the same time, considering Rey and Poe were both om their house teams. Rey appreciated the time she got to spend with her friends, all huddled together on the stands as they waited for the match to start.

"Four galleons on Slytherin winning?" Poe asked them, counting out the coins in his gloved hand to prove he had the money.

"I'm not a millionaire, Poe," Rey said, shaking her head and pushing away his offer. She didn't have that kind of money to shell out on bets. Plus, Slytherin was almost guaranteed to win.

"I'll do _five_ galleons," Finn said, and Rey had to resist a groan at his loyalty to his house. She shared a look with Rose from opposites sides of him, and even she seemed exasperated with the boys' games.

Poe dug around in his coat pocket for more money, and once he found another galleon he said, "I'll do it," sticking out his hand for Finn to shake.

"You really think Hufflepuff will win?" Rey asked Finn quietly.

He gave her an offended shrug of his shoulders. "We do win sometimes, okay?"

"I know," Rey assured him, but in her head she was thinking, _never against Ravenclaw they haven't_. "Still, betting against a Gryffindor is never a wise choice."

"Hey, I heard that!" Poe said to her, slowly grinning as he glanced towards Finn. "And I agree."

The conversation continued on, fading into the background as Rey shifted her gaze down to her hands. She tugged off one of her black gloves and twisted Ben's ring around her finger, admiring the way light subtly reflected off of the gemstones, shining like stars. It was truly beautiful. She didn't even mind that it was the colours of Slytherin.

Rey perked up as Finn nudged her to let her know the game was starting. Having played against the Slytherin team in December, she knew that Hufflepuff didn't stand much of a chance of winning. Their only shot would be to catch the snitch early on in the game, but with Ben as the Slytherin seeker, Rey wasn't sure that was going to happen.

Their seats were lower down and closer to the pitch this time, the result of waiting an extra ten minutes for Poe to get ready. However, this allowed Rey to get a near-perfect view of all of the players enter onto the field, including Ben. Quidditch uniforms looked pretty stupid on everyone, if she was being honest, but somehow he made it work. And somehow, as his eyes lazily searched throughout the stands, they latched onto hers.

Rey subtly raised her hand, flashing her ring to him. Ben smirked fondly, giving her a wink that could stop hearts in their tracks. Maybe she'd be his good luck symbol. He looked away from her to focus on something Hux was saying to the whole team, and Rey pulled on her glove again. Truthfully, she wanted Slytherin to win.

***

And win they did, with a twenty point lead even before Ben caught the snitch

The crowd politely clapped at Slytherin's expected victory, and Finn begrudgingly handed over the five galleons to Poe, barely looking him in the eye. Rey ignored their bickering, feeling a swell of pride in her chest as she watched Ben circle high above the ground, being congratulated by his teammates. It was like those viral videos she saw online of football players winning games and kissing their girlfriends in the stands, except Ben wasn't a football player or her boyfriend.

Rey stood with her friends as they filed out of the stands, stepping down a few levels of steps until they reached the snow-coated ground. She found herself walking beside Poe, with Finn and Rose in front of them.

"That wasn't very nice," Rey commented, glancing up at him, "making a bet you knew he wouldn't win."

Poe shrugged, though he pressed his lips together and glanced away from her as the words sunk in. "Whatever," he muttered. "It's just for fun, Rey." He looked over his shoulder and his eyes immediately hardened. "Here comes lover boy." 

"What-" Rey glanced behind them and saw Ben parting the crowd, heading in their direction. Seconds before he arrived in ear-shot she whispered to Poe, "Be normal."

"I am," he insisted, thankfully shutting his mouth when Ben stopped in front of her. The crowd continued to surge forward, and Rey politely encouraged Poe to rejoin Finn and Rose. Once he was walking ahead, Ben pulled her out of the moving crowd to the stands.

"That was a good game," she told him. "You played well." 

Ben's expression lightened as his lips twitched upwards. "Was I entertaining enough?" 

"Maybe," Rey answered slyly.

He glanced into the distance for a moment, swallowing hard. "Anyways, there's going to be a party tonight. Slytherin common room." 

"That's great news," Rey mused, and Ben shook his head with feigned exasperation.

"You're so troublesome. Will you come with me?"

She forced herself to actually think over her answer before she spoke aloud. A Slytherin party was an interesting notion. It would surely be a crazy night to remember, and dangerous too, but there were only so many parties left in the year. She might as well go. 

"Sure," Rey answered, "but only if you promise not to abandon me once we're there." 

"I promise," Ben said, glancing over his shoulder to his waiting team. "I better go. I'll meet you outside the Ravenclaw common room at eight."

"Alright. See you then," She said, watching him turn away from her and rejoin his quidditch team. Hopefully attending this Slytherin party wouldn't turn out to be a huge mistake.

***

Rey ended up borrowing a black skater dress from Jessika for the party. She would've asked Rose for something, but her style was more innocent and sweet, and Rey felt like the party was going to darker, sexier. Not that she wanted to look sexy, but she didn't want to seem out of place either, which she already was as a Ravenclaw.

The dress had a simple scoop neck, low enough to be interesting but still high enough to be considered classy, and the hemline came just above her knees. Rey'd made sure to carefully shave everything that would newly be on display earlier in the day. 

It was nearing eight o'clock, the time Ben had said he'd be waiting outside of the dormitories for her. Rey anxiously paced across the common room, finally sitting down in an armchair when some Ravenclaws trying to study gave her dirty looks. She wished her friends were coming with her. Not that Ben wasn't her friend, or that she didn't want to spend time with him, but she just felt more comfortable with Finn, Poe, or Rose around. Ben was a bit unpredictable, especially around his friends.

Before long it was a minute to eight, and Rey left the common room after smoothing down her skirt and mentally convincing herself to calm down. Ben was already waiting out in the hall, leaning against a pillar with his hands stuffed in the front pockets of his black jeans. He was wearing a black t-shirt, too. They matched. 

She walked towards him, and it took a few moments for him to realize she was approaching. His eyes widened appreciatively as they scanned her figure, which was easily displayed with the tight-fitting dress. Rey looked down at herself to make sure he wasn't staring at a stain or anything, and when she looked back up at Ben his lips were twitched up in a small smile.

"You look...nice," he murmured, and the simple words were enough to cause goosebumps to erupt over her bare arms. "You should wear black more often." 

"Like you?" Rey made a face, softly laughing to herself to diffuse the tension. "Anyways... are we ready to go?" 

"I am if you are," He replied, and after she nodded they walked down a series of familiar corridors that led to the Slytherin Common Room. The lighting seemed to instantly get darker the moment they entered the dungeons of the school. Rey had never been inside of the Slytherin common room before... why would she have a reason? It was creepy down there.

"How exclusive is this thing?" She asked Ben as they turned a corner. There were other groups of students heading in the same direction they were, but their Slytherin-style clothes did nothing to calm her heart rate. 

"What do you think?" He responded. "Personal invitation only. We don't want random people showing up at our victory party."

"But _I'm_ a random person," Rey countered. 

Ben glanced over at her, the dark lighting casting shadows over his face. "You're not random. You're my guest."

She shrugged under his burning gaze, glancing away when she could no longer hold it. They kept walking until Ben stopped by an empty stretch of stone-brick wall. He glanced towards her hesitantly before silently deciding something and speaking.

" _Winner_ ," He murmured, and the stones immediately shifted away to reveal a hidden doorway. Rey looked over at him, unimpressed.

"Really? That's the password?"

"Shut up," Ben teased, placing his hand on her lower back to usher her into the newly revealed corridor. They reached another door at the end, which he opened without a password. Rey stayed quiet too, because the sight of the Slytherin Common Room was enough to still her into silence.

The room itself was fairly low-ceilinged, and tinted with mysterious green lighting. Various armchairs, dark tables, and black button-tufted sofas were methodically scattered throughout the room. There were a lot of people, mostly wearing shades of dark colours. Slytherins. At least she blended in.

Ben seemed to sense how blank she felt, because he was gently nudging her further into the room with the hand on her back again. She let herself be led, because she had no idea where to go first. They stopped at one of the windows, and Rey's eyes widened as she realized what the source of the greenish light was. Separated by a few inches of thick glass was the black lake, dark and ominous as it stared back at her.

"Rey?" 

She whipped around to face Ben, blinking rapidly as she realized she'd completely zoned out.

"Sorry," Rey apologized, "were you saying something?"

"I was asking if you wanted something to drink," Ben replied, thankfully withholding his possible irritation.

"Oh, sure." 

He nodded, leaving her side and disappearing into the identical sea of black. Looking at all of the unknown people proved to be to anxiety-inducing, so Rey kept her eyes on the lake outside of the window. 

Someone appeared in her peripheral, and she looked over at them with a smile, expecting it to Ben with the drinks. Except it wasn't. The smile faded from her face in an instant, and Rey suddenly found herself wishing she'd worn something less revealing. 

"Hux," She said as politely as possible, fleetingly glancing around the room for Ben. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Scavenger," he replied, cold eyes flittering over her body. "I didn't know someone so poor could clean up so nicely." 

Her skin crawled under his eyes, and she crossed her arms uncomfortably. "Why are you even talking to me?" 

"Don't get so defensive," Hux said, and his words only made her more tense. "I'm just wondering why on earth someone like you is in the Slytherin Common Room. At a Slytherin quidditch party." 

He was the Captain of their quidditch team. _Why did she only remember then?_

"Uh..." Rey glanced around for Ben again, unsure if he'd appreciate her honesty in the situation. Probably not. _But what else could she say?_ "I was invited, okay?" 

"By Solo?" He asked, and something about his mocking tone made her stomach twist. "That figures."

"Leave me alone," Rey insisted, clenching her jaw as she felt her face heating up. "I don't know what your problem is."

Her words seemed to bounce right off of him, much to her annoyance. "You don't belong here, little scavenger. Go back to your dumpster."

"What did you just say to her?" 

Rey almost jumped out of her skin as Ben appeared from behind her, passing her a red solo cup of punch and resting a hand on her waist. Part of his body was pressed against her back, and she could tell he was as tense as a board without turning to look at him. 

When Hux made no move to respond, Ben repeated, "What did you say to her?" The harshness of his voice, although not directed at her, still made Rey flinch.

"Nothing, Solo. We were just having a conversation," Hux shifted his eyes onto her, as cold as ice, "weren't we." 

Ben tightened his grip on her waist, almost painfully, and Rey could tell he was close to snapping. As much as she'd like to see Hux get his ass handed to him, she didn't want it to be at Ben's expense. 

"Get out of my sight," She said firmly, staring him down. The combination of her and Ben's faces must've been too much, because with a final glance at Ben he was disappearing into the crowd. Rey instantly deflated once he was gone, slowly turning to face him. Ben's gaze was so hard it could cut something, and she tentatively raised her hand to his arm to calm him.

"Ben," she said quietly, and his eyes snapped to her without hesitation.

"What was he saying to you?" He asked, or more demanded. It still seemed like he wanted to chase after Hux and start a fight.

"Stupid things," Rey replied, lightly stroking the bare part of his bicep. "It's not important. Please calm down."

"I _am_ calm," Ben said harshly, sighing once he heard the tone of his own voice. "Sorry. I just... I don't like the way he was looking at you. Or talking to you."

Rey nodded in agreement, and he took long swings of his cup of punch. She took a sip of her own to alleviate the lump in her throat, and nearly spat it all out as the what had looked like fruit punch burned down her throat like something much less innocent.

She coughed, looking down into the cup for any signs of deception. "What the hell is in this? Bleach?"

Ben didn't look impressed. "You've never had vodka?"

Rey glanced between him and the drink in her hand with a grimace. "You guys spike the punch?" 

Ben took another sip of his own drink, and she was amazed by how neutral his face looked afterwards. "Of course. That's like, the best part of these things." 

The walls felt like they were closing in on her, and Rey felt the weight of Hux's words sink in. The worst part was, she didn't belong there, at a party with alcohol and drunken people making stupid choices. _Why had he brought her there?_

"I don't drink," Rey said, setting her cup on the ledge of the window. The thought of getting drunk in the dungeons was enough to convince her not to drink another sip. Plus, the fact that it was illegal. Getting busted for a quidditch party was one thing, but serving a bunch of underage students alcohol? The consequences would never end.

"Oh," Ben said in response, tentatively placing his cup down beside hers. "Sorry."

"Whatever," She said quietly, not bothering to keep up with false happiness. The night already felt ruined for her, and the vodka wasn't the only thing leaving a bad taste in her mouth. 

Ben placed a light hand on her bare shoulder, and the warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her body. This wasn't his fault. She shouldn't blame him. 

"I'm sorry too," She said. "It's your victory party, you should be having fun. Don't stop drinking because of me." 

"You're more important," Ben murmured, glancing away as if he couldn't bear to look her in the eyes at the same time. His words sent flutters through her heart.

Disregarding anyone who might be watching, Rey reached up to his face and lightly pulled him down until their lips connected. He tasted like the cheap alcohol in the spiked punch, but she didn't really care enough to stop.

One of his hands moved to the back of her neck, keeping her in place as her lips parted and his tongue entered her mouth, not nearly as odd a feeling as she'd thought it'd be. The fact that they were in the middle of a party didn't even phase her, that's how good of a kisser Ben was, how much his touch took away all common sense and distractions. 

Rey felt like her skin was tingling everywhere, electrified and sensitive to every movement he made against her. A distant voice hissed, " _get a room_ ", and Ben broke apart from her lips for a moment to glare at whoever it was before returning his attention to her, a new intensity in his eyes. He closed the distance between them, kissing her even more fiercely than before. 

"Maybe they're right," Rey managed to get out between kisses, placing her palms on Ben's chest to get him to pay attention. He slowly pulled away, lips kiss-swollen and pupils dilated as they focused onto her.

"Really?" He swallowed thickly, searching her eyes. 

"...If you want," Rey said, suddenly feeling awkward. She was no good at the smooth talk Ben always used with her. "I just don't want people watching us." 

"We better fix that, shouldn't we?" He murmured. Rey just wordlessly nodded, quickly taking another sip of her drink. Her heart was hammering, and she was going to be needing the courage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Hope everyone is having a good day. The continuation of this chapter is coming out very soon, hopefully later today :D Thank you for all of your lovely comments and support on this story!


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight- Darkness

Rey followed Ben up a winding staircase that looked identical to the one that led to the Ravenclaw dormitories. _Was that where he was taking her? His dormitory?_ She didn't exactly see how that would be more private, considering all of the other students he'd be sharing the room with, but she trusted Ben enough to keep her mouth shut.

They reached the top of the staircase, and he silently opened one of the door. Rey was surprised to see the room was completely empty, devoid of sleeping students. _I guess everyone's at the party_. Everything seemed the same as her own dormitory, a large circular room with four-poster beds around it, except the sheets were dark green instead of blue.

Ben had stopped by one of the beds, glancing over at her expectantly. This had been her suggestion, after all. She didn't know why she felt so nervous all of a sudden.

Rey crossed over to where he was standing, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. _Relax. Calm down. Nothing's going to happen._ His eyes trailed her movements until she sat down on the edge of his bed and slipped off her flats. Ben did the same with his shoes, and then he was joining her on the bed and pulling the curtain around the bed closed.

It was dark, and the only lighting in the room came from the few windows that shed greenish hues across Ben's face. Rey swallowed her fear and leaned forward, brushing her lips against his.

His hand moved to cup her face, and they slowly adjusted their position until she was lying on her back with Ben on top of her, his weight comforting and strong. She slightly opened her legs to allow him to rest between them, and the contact was rushing heat all over her body.

Rey ran her hands through his thick locks, lightly dragging her nails over his scalp. Ben groaned into her mouth and tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth, which illicited a soft moan out of her. She liked when he was a little rougher, when he wasn't so reserved, when he was passionate.

His hand hesitantly ghosted over her chest, and she encouraged him with a quiet, "It's okay, keep going." He gripped her more confidently, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses along her neck and exposed collarbone. Her mind was in pure bliss as she ran her hands over his back.

She felt one of his hands rest on her bare thigh, slowly shifting under the hemline of her dress. His warm touch against her skin set off shivers down her body, and all Rey could do was lay back and let him continue. She wanted him to continue, no matter how nervous she felt.

Ben's hand froze on her upper thigh, and he pulled away from where he'd been sucking at her pulse point to look her in the eyes. "Is this okay? Just tell me to stop, and I will."

"Don't stop," Rey practically begged. She felt like there was a coil within her spun so tightly it was going to unwind at any moment, and she was almost shaking from the anticipation of where his hand would land. Ben nodded his assent, but only seemed to move slower up her leg. He was such a tease, and she knew he was doing it on purpose. "Ben, _please_ ," she murmured, begging him to do something with the urgency of her voice.

He smirked against her lips as he leaned down and kissed her, at the same time his hand moved between her legs. Rey sighed into his mouth, tilting her head up in an attempt to catch her breath as she gasped at the annoyingly light pressure he was using through her underwear.

"You like that?" He murmured in her ear, teasingly rubbing his fingers against her. Rey wanted to kiss him and yell at him simultaneously. She didn't know she could be so turned on and so annoyed at the same time.

She found herself too distracted to form words, nodding instead. She almost cursed Ben out when his hand moved away, but it was only to move upwards and sneak underneath her underwear. He pressed into her harder, and Rey saw stars when she closed her eyes. She really didn't want to know how he'd gotten so good at this.

"Relax, Rey," he murmured, and she just shook her head stubbornly as his other hand gripped her waist. "Just let go..." Her mind was racing so fast the thought seemed impossible, but she tried to slow down her breathing and just enjoy what was happening. "Good girl," Ben whispered against her neck, and her hips bucked up instinctively. _God, he was going to be the death of her._

"I-I'm-," she whispered back, unable to finish her own sentence because of how distracted she was. He worked against her faster, heel of his hand grinding against her, determined to make her words come true. 

It felt like the stars were exploding, and she dug half-crescents into his back as the world came crashing down, her hips subconsciously rolling against him. He coaxed her down through her high, and Rey had to move his hand away when she was too sensitive to continue.

"Oh my god," she moaned, throwing her arm over her eyes. Her face was so hot, and she was panting like crazy. "Oh my god."

"Was that okay?" Ben asked from above her, and Rey nodded feverishly to convince him, since he sounded a little unsure. She dropped her arm, slowly focusing her eyes onto him. The scene was so indecent, with her dress hiked up to her hips, and her legs spread, and Ben sitting between them, but she didn't care.

His own face was flushed, and he gently pulled her dress back down so she was covered again. Rey gulped as a thought struck her.

"Do you want me to, uh-" her eyes hesitantly glanced downwards to the front of his pants, "r-reciprocate?" She cursed her voice for being so shaky. She wasn't _that_ nervous about doing it.

Ben opened his mouth, shut it, and then opened it again, looking unsure. "Uh...it's okay."

Rey sat up straight, smoothing her hair back as she looked at him. "You're sure? I don't mind-"

"It's okay," Ben repeated, and she decided to keep her mouth shut. Maybe he was uncomfortable, or embarrassed. She could understand, and she wasn't going to force him into anything.

"Okay," Rey agreed, reaching her hand out to stroke his arm. She wished she could make him feel just as good as he'd made her feel, but she respected his decision more than her own desires. "Thank you for... _that_." Her face flushed, and she was glad the near darkness hid the colour in her cheeks.

"Any time, sweetheart," he replied with a smirk, leaning forward to capture her lips again. Rey's mind was still spinning from the mind-blowing high he'd just given her, and she kissed him back chastely before pulling back.

Looking at him then, sitting across from her with messy hair and content eyes, Rey knew he meant something more to her. She felt that unfamiliar pull within her heart whenever he was around, and the pit of jealousy in her stomach whenever someone doubted their feelings. Ben definitely wasn't perfect, but Rey didn't want someone artificial. She wanted him despite his problems, despite the secrets he kept and refused to tell her.

Ben cocked his head, eyes flickering over her. "What are you thinking about?"

"You," Rey answered, smiling shyly. "How much I..." She stopped herself before she could say something she'd regret. "How much I care about you."

His lips twitched upwards into a small smile, and he leaned forward to kiss her again, sickeningly sweet. "I care about you too, Rey."

Both of them froze at the sound of the dormitory door opening, a creak that broke through the peaceful silence of their moment. Rey covered her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from laughing aloud.

Luckly the curtain was drawn around his bed, so the person wouldn't know she was there, _but how was she supposed to leave now?_ Rey looked to Ben expectantly for an answer, and found him trying to peek through a crack in the curtain to who it was.

He leaned in close to her ear, whispering, "It's just Mitaka."

"I don't know who that is," Rey whispered back, but if he seemed calm about it, then she'd be calm too. Eventually the shuffling noises of the person getting ready for bed stopped, leaving them sitting in silence. She leaned in to his ear this time, breath tickling him as she whispered, "Should I try and escape now?"

"You don't want to stay?" Ben murmured teasingly, gently pushing her back against the mattress and flattening her with his body as he kissed where her neck met her shoulder. She had to admit, the way he was touching her was definitely tempting, but her mind was already set.

"You know I have to go," Rey answered, running a hand through his hair. Ben made a noise of discontent, continuing to suck at her skin. "You better not leave a mark," she warned in a harsh whisper.

Ben broke apart from her with a very audible ' _pop_ ', and Rey instantly grimaced at the thought of someone hearing.

"Fine," he sighed against her face, pushing himself up onto his arms above her. "You can sneak out once he falls asleep, if you're quiet," his voice lowered, "even though we both know you're not."

Rey lightly punched his bicep, but Ben didn't even budge an inch. She resorted to gripping both of his arms and forcing him to roll over, straddling his waist. She held in a laugh at his facial expression as she moved off of him.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to enjoy your party," Rey whispered, "though I'm guessing it'll still going on two hours from now."

"Probably," he agreed, "but I don't mind." At her expression he added, "Really. This is much more enjoyable than that stupid thing."

Rey smiled softly, gently caressing the side of his face before she shifted off of his bed and put on her shoes. "Goodnight, Ben."

"Goodnight," He echoed, watching her as she peered through the crack in the curtain and silently slipped my through, like a ghost in the night. She was silent as she padded across the wooden floors of the dormitory, the only sound the creak if the door as she closed it behind her.

She was biting back a giddy smile as she descended the stone steps, body still tingling everywhere. It all felt like a dream, and she was still living in it. That was, until a figure appeared a few steps below her.

Her step faltered and she froze, alarm bells blaring in her head. _Escape, escape, escape_.

"What are you doing?" Hux snarled, eyes narrowing at her suspiciously. He swayed a little on his feet, obviously having drunk the spiked punch.

Rey gulped, shakily responding, "Nothing."

This was bad. She knew by the look of hatred in his cold eyes, perhaps even instigated by Ben taking her side earlier at the party. _It wasn't good._

Rey made to move past him in a quick action, but he was forcefully grabbing her wrist and tugging her back. His grip was surprisingly strong, and her eyes frantically glanced around for someone or something to help her. She doubted anyone at the party would come if they heard her, but the dormitories weren't too far away...

"Be-!" She started, only to have Hux cover her mouth to block out the sound. The next thing she knew his wand was out and digging into the side of her neck.

Rey blanched as she realized she didn't have her own wand. It was laying in her trunk in her room.

She calmly gripped the wrist that was covering her mouth and moved it down to show she wasn't going to scream. Even if Ben had heard, there wouldn't have been enough time for a rescue.

"Let me pass," She insisted, but Hux just coolly shook his head, wand still against her skin. "What is it? What do you want from me?"

"You're the one in the wrong here, Scavenger. Sneaking out of the Slytherin dormitories."

"I'm not the one throwing parties after curfew and serving alcohol at them!"

Hux scoffed, pressing his wand further into her. It was starting to hurt, maybe even bruise.

"Can you not?" Rey asked.

"What did I tell you before? You don't belong here. Stop trying to become one of us."

"You're-" She stopped herself, than decided to keep going. "You're just jealous that I'm taking Ben away from you. Which I'm not, by the way."

Hux opened his mouth to shoot back some deflection, but Rey continued talking, almost uncontrollably.

"How do you think he's going to feel once he finds out about this, huh?" Rey glanced down to his wand. "I don't think you want to find out."

He clenched his jaw, and for a moment she thought he was going to hex her right then and there for talking back, but Hux simply removed his wand.

She rubbed at her neck, shooting him a glare as she moved past him.

"Oh, and Rey?" He called.

Her skin prickled with him saying her name for the first time. Rey's curiosity got the better of her and she turned around to face him.

"What?"

"He's not who you think he is."

Her throat clenched. "You're a liar."

"Just ask him yourself," Hux replied all too confidently, slowly making his way up the stairs like a slithering snake. "But you already know, don't you?"

Before Rey could utter another word he disappeared into the darkness, leaving her alone in the stairwell with a spinning mind. She itched to go after him, to grip her wand in her hand and hold it against his throat like he had hers.

_Would Hux be up in the dormitory, trying to turn Ben against her right now?_ It was likely, and she hated herself for being too scared to do anything about it. _Would Ben choose her word over Hux’s?_

_And what had he meant, saying Ben wasn't who she thought he was? Was he hiding more than she knew?_

Her head was already starting to throb from the spiked punch, and all of this overload of information wasn't helping. _Tomorrow_ , she promised herself. _Tomorrow I'll think about what happened, and tomorrow I'll do something about it. But tonight..._

Rey numbly walked down the few remaining steps, rubbing her forehead as she reentered the common room. The party was still in full-swing, Slytherins dancing, grinding on eachother and drinking. Music was playing too, a deep throb that she felt in her ribcage. _I don't belong here._

She pushed through the crowd, which was so stifling she could hardly breathe. She felt like she was going to be sick if she'd didn't get out of that room soon.

The dungeons outside was a breath of fresh air, cool against her skin. _This was all too much_. She needed to speak to her friends as soon as possible.


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine- Confrontation

Rey frowned as she realized Poe was missing from their usual breakfast spot at the Hufflepuff table. She peered over to the Gryffindor table, but there were too many people sitting there for her to tell if he was there or not. She sat down across from Finn and Rose, who both looked oddly uncomfortable.

"Hey guys," Rey greeted hesitantly, watching them as she served herself some pancakes. "Where's Dameron?"

Finn didn't respond, keeping his eyes down on his plate as he cut up some bacon. Finn _never_ cut up his bacon.

Rey turned her gaze to Rose, who mouthed, ' _they had a fight_ ', grimacing as she took a sip of her juice. 

Rey frowned down at her pancakes as she dunked them in syrup, mind only becoming more muddled than before. Finn and Poe had occasional disagreements, but they'd never fought hard enough to eat at separate tables. _Why did they have to be in conflict when she needed their support more than ever?_

"I need to talk to you guys about something important," Rey told them. "Can you meet me in the library after school?"

"Will _he_ be there?" Finn asked, and the coldness in his tone froze her heart and cracked it into shards. He was staring at his untouched food, emotionless. Somehow she knew that telling the truth would get her nowhere.

"...No, just you guys.” 

Finn's face instantly lightened, which was more than a little heartbreaking. "Okay," he sighed. "I'll be there."

"Me too," Rose added, thankfully more cheerful than Finn. 

"Thanks. You guys are the best," Rey told them, digging into her breakfast. Her heart was clenching from lying to him, but it was the only way to get both Finn and Poe's opinions brainstorming together at once. Even though they were in an argument, she knew they'd still work together to support her. Hopefully. 

*** 

Rey sat down beside Poe in their history of magic class that morning, and as expected, he was looking just as moody as Finn had been. She was so curious as to what had happened between them, but figured they'd tell her when they made up, which they always did. Hopefully this wouldn't be the final drive between them.

"Hey Poe," Rey greeted casually, "How are you doing?"

He glanced up at her from his textbook, and she had to hide a frown at the dark circles growing under his eyes.

"You _know_ ," He said flatly, mouth forming a tight line. "Don't you."

Rey did frown this time, because all of Poe's normal cockiness and energy was mysteriously drained out. It was unnerving. She hated when her friends were fighting, because she was always caught in the middle of them. At least Rose's choice was pre-made, being Finn's friend before Poe's. Rey didn't have the luxury.

"All I know is that you guys had a fight," she answered honestly.

"Understatement of the year," Poe muttered, running a stressed hand through his hair. Rey shuffled through her papers, thinking of what to say next.

"Really though, are you okay?" 

He shrugged, letting out a heavy breath. "Yeah. It just sucks." 

 _I know better than anyone_ , Rey thought, nodding along to his words. "Yeah..." she looked over at him, swallowing her fear. "I know this isn't the best time, but I need to talk to you about something important after school."

Poe perked up, raising his eyebrows. "Is it about-" he lowered his voice "a certain Slytherin?"

She rolled her eyes. "He plays a part. It _is_ important, though. Can you meet me in the library?"

"Will Finn be there?" 

"Uh..." Rey glanced away, fiddling with her textbook. "I haven't asked him. Don't worry about it."

"I'll be there," Poe agreed, forcing a small smile at her as Professor Ackbar got up to start the lesson. _You've lied twice now, to both of your best friends._ It wasn't a great feeling.

*** 

"Did you get back to your common room all right the other night?" Ben asked her during a potion-brewing session in class. Rey wiped droplets of steam off of her forehead, glancing over at him. 

"Yeah," She replied. "I'm here, aren't I?" What she didn't say was that she almost _didn't_ make it back safely, with Hux threatening her in the stairwell and all.

Her potion was almost done brewing, and she really didn't need Ben distracting her. His presence was a looming force always surrounding her, especially since the Slytherin party last weekend. She could never look at him the same way ever again.

Ben was staring at her in her peripheral, and Rey looked over at him expectantly as she stirred her potion. His eyes were focused on an area below her ear.

"Did I do that?" He asked quietly, brushing his fingers lightly against a spot on the side of her neck. The question stilled her stirring immediately.

"What?"

"You have a bruise," He replied, a smirk tugging at his lips. 

 _Shit_. She hadn't even noticed. It could've been from Ben, but she knew it wasn't from the spot he'd burned with his touch. She still remembered the pain from that night. Hux's wand must have bruised her skin when he was digging it into her neck.

Rey swallowed a lump in her throat from the memory. "It must be. I didn't notice."

Ben shook his head to himself, and when she glanced over he was back to focusing on his own potion. _Right. We're brewing for marks._

Rey finished up her potion with too many thoughts battling for dominance in her brain, and ended up re-doing a step by accident. It wasn't that noticeable, but Snoke took a few marks off for it anyways. Ben's potion was practically perfect, and she saw a mark in the nineties written on Snoke's page as he passed by. _Figures_.

She shot Ben an unimpressed glance, which he returned with a smug look on his face. The fact that he "needed extra credit" was such a lie it was practically displayed on a neon sign, and she was going to get to the bottom of it. 

*** 

Rey had that sinking feeling that her plan to reconcile Finn and Poe while also getting them to help solve her own problems wasn't so genius after all.

During lunch she’d separately told them to meet her at their special spot in the library, but at slightly different times. Unfortunately, all she needed was for Poe to show up a few minutes earlier than her and ruin everything before she got the chance to explain.

A dusty waft of old books crowded her senses as she entered the library, and Rey wrinkled her nose as she stifled a sneeze. The feeling was was so familiar it barely bothered her anymore.

She was right on schedule, and Finn and Rose were already sitting at the designated meeting spot when she arrived. Rey sat down beside Finn, giving him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

They talked about their days for the next few minutes, and Rey kept glancing up at the clock on the wall. Poe was never known to be punctual, but she could only stretch the small-talk for so long. 

As it turned out, she didn't need to worry.

The moment Finn's rant about his latest divination mark trailed off, she knew Poe'd shown up. _Keep it controlled, Rey. Use your brain._

Poe paused a few feet away from her chair, though she knew he was wary of Finn, and not her. 

"Hey Poe," Rey greeted, forcing herself to crack a smile. "Thanks for-"

"You lied to me?" He accused, jaw clenching. _Not good, not good, not good_. The smile faded from her face. Finn was silent, and she didn't risk glancing back at him. 

"I-" She shook her head, realizing she didn't even have an excuse. "I'm sorry. Can you please sit down?" 

He shifted his eyes off of her, and Rey followed his hard stare to Finn. They glared at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time, and Rose minutely shook her head. 

Finn glanced to Rey. "You lied to me, too." He didn't even ask it as a question. He knew.

"Listen," Rey sighed, "it was the only way to get you both together. I need all of your help."

Poe scoffed, which drew her attention back to him. "Well, maybe we don't want to help you," he pressed his lips together with a sense of finality. "We can talk later. I'm leaving."

He shot another glare at Finn and spun on his heel, fleeing the library as fast as possible.

Rey sputtered out an apology, getting out of her seat before he could get out of her sight. She needed to fix this, and fast.

She pushed open the heavy wooden door of the library, and stopped mid-stride as her eyes landed on the scene in front of her.

A limp body laying on the ground. Poe and a group of a few other students standing around it, mouths gaped open. He glanced at Rey, disregarding their argument and immediately rushing over to her side of the victim. _The victim_.

"Oh my god..." Rey shook her head, kneeling beside the poor girl on the floor. She was a familiar Gryffindor, maybe sixth or seventh year. "What happened?"

"That's Kaydel. She's seeker on our team this year," Poe explained, sounding just as overwhelmed as her. "I just saw her when I stepped out. We've already sent someone for a teacher."

Rey nodded, confirming a pulse as she pressed two fingers to the side of Kaydel's neck. This was crazy.

She stood, stepping away from the Gryffindor. It could've been some personal medical problem, but she had a feeling it was something much more sinister. Her wand was strewn on the floor a few feet away, like she'd been fighting back before being knocked out.

The next thing she knew a whole crowd of passing students had gathered, and many teachers were arriving and ushering all of them away. Finn and Rose were back beside her, and Finn seemed to put aside the argument as well.

The head girl found Rey as she was walking down a corridor with her friends, telling her instructions to give to all Ravenclaw students: go to your dormitory immediately. Rey hesitantly left her friends to deliver the news, hoping they'd work out their difficulties while she was away. Unlikely, but possible.

***

The corridors were so busy with confused students Rey didn't even have to corral them like she thought, being pressed to a wall by the crowd instead. She could tell from their not-so-hushed whispers as they passed that no one really knew what had happened. It was all rumours, though the fact that some students were excited about a dead student was a little disappointing. 

Something brushed her hand more forcefully than an accident and Rey flinched before she looked over at them. Ben looked back at her, dropping her hand at her reaction. 

"Sorry," Rey said, shaking her head. "I just got... never mind."

"Scared?" 

"Never," She replied, looking back into the crowd. It was thinning now as students made their way to safety. "I was there when it happened, you know."

"Really?" Ben asked, tilting his head. Rey nodded. "Luke told me someone get hexed by the library."

So the girl _had_ been hexed, and left alone in the hallway unconscious for anyone to find. It was horrible.

"Yeah," Rey confirmed. "Poe was telling me she's the seeker on their quidditch team."

Ben made a noise, shifting away from his spot on the wall beside her. "We should be getting back to our dormitories, too. It's not safe out here, if people are getting hexed."

"Right," Rey agreed, though she was thinking that the most likely candidate of the attack would be a Slytherin. So really, it only wasn't safe for her. Ben didn't seem too worried about himself.

"Stay safe, Rey," he murmured.

"You too, Solo."

*** 

A few hours later every student was gathered into the Great Hall for a mandatory meeting during dinner. The news of someone being hexed must have spread quickly, because the room was filled with hushed whispers when Rey entered. The separation of house colours at each table was very evident, so Rey sat with the Ravenclaws to avoid any trouble. She didn't feel very hungry, but forced herself to eat some food anyway. It wasn't long before the tension was broken by Headmaster Skywalker.

He stood from the staff table and walked up to a podium, using an amplifying charm to project his voice to the entire crowd. It was unnecessary, though. All conversations swiftly ended the second he cleared his throat.

"As I'm sure many of you know, there has been an attack earlier this evening," Skywalker started, grabbing the attention of every student in the hall. "Fortunately, the victim is currently in the hospital wing, and predicted to heal soon, though they will be unconscious for awhile."

She quietly sighed in relief, unsure of why she'd been so worried in the first place. Kaydel just got hexed, maybe in an argument or a duel, and nothing more. She'd be okay. So why was everyone making such a big deal out of it? 

"...There is something else," Skywalker said hesitantly, looking grave as he surveyed the students, "that I believe to be important for your knowledge."

Whispers erupted, and Rey scanned the Slytherin table for Ben. She found him in a few seconds, and could easily see his face from her position. He looked just as suspicious as she felt, eyes narrowed at his uncle.

"The victim of the attack...was hexed with dark magic." 

Rey felt her throat clench in her throat, temporarily cutting off her air supply. The crowd was dead silent. Shell-shocked, maybe.

"We believe the attack was perpetrated by a student, as evidence of inexperience in the dark arts was clearly displayed on the victim."

Rey swivelled her gaze back onto Ben. His eyes were flickering over the crowd, and happened to catch on hers. She had no idea what her face looked like, but she felt horrified, disgusted, betrayed. It couldn't have been Ben... _it couldn't._

He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head at her expression, and Rey glanced away to focus on Headmaster Skywalker again. Her stomach was lurching.

"If you know of anyone who is or has been involved with the dark arts, or have any suspicions, please don't hesitate to confide in a Professor, or myself. It is of upmost importance that we catch the attacker as soon as possible, before they can strike again. Until then, please walk in groups at all times and follow the curfew. Thank you." Skywalker stepped down from the podium, slowly walking back to the staff table. The Great Hall was so quiet you could hear a pin-drop.

Eventually the hum of tentative conversation returned, and Rey sat in silence as she ate her dinner. Her fellow Ravenclaws were already theorizing about who the attacker was, and the most popular idea was a Slytherin. Rey couldn't help but agree. It was a stereotype, but she'd seen Ben with the dark arts book twice now.

When she glanced over to the Slytherin table again, he was gone. 

***

"So, who do you think did it?" Poe asked Rey, Finn, and Rose as they sat down in the Hufflepuff common room. It was against the school rules for Rey and Poe to be in there, but she doubted any teachers would care with all of the dark arts drama going on. 

"Someone in our year," Rose suggested. "Or older." 

Poe nodded. "And definitely a Slytherin."

"You don't know that," Rey interjected, sensing herself tense up. "It could be anyone." Poe gave her a look, pressing his lips together.

"You're just saying that because of Solo. You used to hate the Slytherins."

It was true. She couldn't even deny it as she sighed and shook her head. _It couldn't be Ben._

"It makes the most sense. And I'm not saying it's Ben or anything, if that's what you're thinking. He's a golden boy."

 _You're so wrong. And it's my fault_.

Rey and Finn shared a silent glance, and the look in his brown eyes said everything he didn't speak aloud. He remembered Snoke giving Ben the dark arts book so many months ago in the dungeons. And he didn't plan on keeping it a secret.

The night continued on, and after another hour Rey decided to head back to her dormitory before curfew started. She pulled Finn along with her to the exit of the Hufflepuff common room under the guise of a 'private-talk'. 

"Listen, whatever we saw that night, it doesn't mean anything," She pleaded, jaw clenched. "We cant- we cant just accuse someone of something like that when we don't even know-" 

"If they're guilty?" Finn asked. "But isn't that why you're defending him? Why you're so adamant on keeping our evidence a secret? Because If I tell, he'll get caught for his crime?"

"Ben wouldn't do something that stupid," Rey defended, but even she could hear the disbelief in her own voice. "Just... Don't say anything. Please." 

She searched Finn's eyes, silently begging with him. She didn't want to get Ben in trouble because of her thoughtless choice to tell Finn the book was about dark arts.

"Okay," Finn agreed, giving her a little nod. "Don't worry about it."

"Thank you," Rey breathed, trying not to sigh in relief. "I'll see you tomorrow." 

"See you." 

She left the common room alone, something that wasn't the best choice in retrospect but didn't end up affecting her. The walk back to the Ravenclaw Tower was as uneventful as any other day, eerily empty and quiet as she stalked the halls. Whoever the perpetrator was, they were holed up with the curfew the same as her.

They were a student with a secret.


	30. Chapter Thirty- Betrayal

When Rey entered the Potions classroom, the seat beside hers was empty.

She curiously glanced around the room for Ben, thinking he must’ve been talking to Hux or another Slytherin, but was even more confused to see him nowhere.

 _He must be caught up in his last class_ , Rey told herself, worrying at her lip as she waited in her seat for Ben to show up. He hadn't been late for Potions class since the beginning of the school year. She had a bad feeling about this.

The bell to signal the start of class clearly sounded, and the seat beside her stayed empty for the rest of the period. Ben never showed up.

***

In Defence Against the Dark Arts class, Ben was missing again, along with Skywalker, who'd been replaced by another teacher on break. They offered no explanation as to why the headmaster was gone.

Halfway through the period, two other teachers entered the class to talk with Hux. He complained as he went, offering up an endless flow of how 'unnecessary' it all was, but they took him anyways. The whole situation was so confusing, and Rey couldn't wrap her head around what was happening. People were disappearing one-by-one, it seemed. She hoped she wouldn't be next.

Hux didn't return to pick up his book bag at the end of class, so Phasma had to begrudgingly take it with her. The blonde Slytherin shot Rey a look as she haphazardly grabbed Hux’s things and left the class. Something was going on, but she couldn't figure out what.

***

Rey almost flinched when she entered the Astronomy tower to see Ben waiting at their telescope. She actually paused mid-stride, suspiciously squinting at the distant facial expression he had on his face as he stared out the _open_ window. _It was winter, and he had the window open?_ Something was definitely up.

The cold evening breeze coming through sent a shiver down her spine as she hesitantly approached him, setting her book-bag down as gently as possible on the floor.

“Where were you today?” She questioned.

The sound of her voice jolted Ben back to reality as he glanced over at her. His face instantly grew darker as he recognized her, jaw set and eyes hard. Rey didn't know what she'd done to upset him.

"Ben, what's wrong?" She searched his face for a sign. His emotionless facial expression was really unsettling.

He took long breaths through his nose, finally murmuring, "I trusted you."

Rey's lips parted in immediate surprise at his words, and she was left speechless for a moment. "W-What?"

Ben glanced away from her, mouth a tight line. "You heard me."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rey explained calmly, keeping her eyes on his even though he wasn't looking at her. He glanced up from the floor, eyes narrowing.

"Don't play dumb," Ben snarled, and the coldness in his voice shook her to the core. "You snitched on me." His voice dripped with venom.

Rey's jaw dropped more than it already was, and she frantically shook her head as she understood the implication of his words. "I-I wouldn't do that, Ben-"

"But you did," He interjected, looking the most hurt she'd ever seen him, "how could you do that to me? I thought we were friends. More than that, even."

"We _are_ friends," Rey insisted, dumbstruck that he truly thought she'd told a teacher about him and the dark arts book. "I'm telling you, I didn't do it. How could you believe that?"

"Just admit it, Rey," Ben persisted. "Lying won't get you anywhere. You told on me."

"I _didn't_."

"You're the only person who knew. That, or..." he clenched his jaw. "Or you told someone else."

Rey crossed her arms defensively. "I didn't do that either. I didn't-" she paused, slowly realizing something, "wait, if someone told on you, why are you still here?"

Ben squinted at her, his angry tangent temporarily replaced with confusion. "What?"

"You didn't get punished for hexing Kaydel? Your uncle let you go?"

Ben's eyes widened with incredulity. "I didn't hex that girl. An _entire day_ of interrogation made sure of that."

Rey closed her eyes for a second, shaking her head with confusion. "I don't understand." Ben opened his mouth to fire back an explanation when Maz interrupted him in front of the entire class.

"This isn't social hour, Solo and Kenobi," She shouted from across the tower, where she was impatiently waiting for them to stop arguing so she could start the night's lesson. Rey shut her mouth with a click, purposefully leaning as far away from Ben as possible. He was going to be _so_ regretful once he realized she wasn't the one who'd snitched on him.

The moment Maz stopped talking Ben swiftly scooped up his belongings off the floor and walked up to her. Rey faintly heard him mutter, ' _I need to talk to my uncle_ ', leaving the tower before Maz could stop him. Rey doubted he really needed to talk to Skywalker. He was probably just using it as an excuse to leave. To get away from _her_.

Rey completed her worksheet utterly alone, brushing off Maz's attempts at conversation. She knew she was being moody, but she couldn't care enough to pretend like everything was alright. Her blood was boiling with irritation. She was taking the blame for someone else's betrayal.

_Someone else... who could snitch on Ben, aside from me? Who else knows any suspicious information about him?_

Rey's heart dropped as she realized who fit the role. _Finn_. He said he wouldn't tell, but he did anyways. _And now Ben thinks it's me that’s betrayed him._  

With a silent growl of annoyance, she realized she couldn't even be mad at Finn, considering she'd blatantly lied to him about Poe attending their meeting in the library. She deserved to receive the same treatment she thoughtlessly gave to him, and that made everything feel so much worse.

***

Rey awoke with a start at the noise of too many people moving around her dormitory at once. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, pulling back the curtain around her bed to see everyone in the room getting dressed. 

One of the girls, noticing her still-in-bed state, had the grace to tell her, "They're making us attend breakfast earlier. We think they've caught the attacker."

Rey nodded sleepily, slowly getting herself out of bed and dressed in her uniform. _If Ben wasn't the attacker who'd hexed Kaydel with dark magic, than who had?_ She supposed she'd find out eventually. 

After tightening her blue and bronze tie around her neck and slipping on her flats, Rey was out the door along with the rest of the girls in her dormitory. Surely enough, she saw more seventh year Ravenclaws in the common room than normal, begrudgingly making their way to breakfast. Some of them took their studying so seriously they skipped breakfast to catch up on sleep.

The Great Hall was equally as busy as yesterday's meeting during dinner, but Rey joined her friends at the Hufflepuff table instead. Poe, Finn, and Rose were already there, talking amicably like the other day's icy argument had never happened. Rey let her animosity towards Finn slide to satiate her curiosity.

"So, are you guys friends again?" She asked, giving Poe a pointed look. He gave her a look back, smiling tightly.

" _Yes, Rey_ ," He replied with exasperation. "And it wasn't because of your _fail_ of a plan. Sorry." 

"Gee, thanks, Poe."

"You're welcome." 

Rey shook her head, silently serving herself breakfast as her eyes travelled upwards to Finn, who was sitting across from her. To his credit, he did look a little guilty as he met her gaze while sipping his juice. He awkwardly set his cup down on the table, giving her a tentative smile. 

"You okay, Rey?" Finn asked her.

"Mmhm," She hummed while drinking her own juice, quirking a brow at him. Finn shook his head in confusion, turning his attention to the front of the hall as Skywalker walked to the podium. The room quieted, and Rey listened aptly to the headmaster's next words. 

"Good morning, everyone," he started, looking a sliver happier than yesterday. _That was good news, right?_ "I am happy to announce that yesterday's attacker has been identified and removed from the premises."

Her eyebrows shot up higher and higher, and the next thing she knew people were clapping like it was some sort of celebration. It was great that the attacker had been found and all, but a student using the dark arts was nothing to be celebratory about. _And what did he mean, removed from the premises?_  

"Remain calm, please," Skywalker suggested as the clapping died down. "As I was saying, the attacker will remain anonymous, so please refrain from starting or spreading any rumours. Classes will commence as normal. Thank you, and have a great day."

Conversations erupted immediately, including one in their own group.

"So, who do you think they caught?" Poe asked, leaning forward with clasped hands. Rey liked to think he'd be one of those conspiracy theorists on the Internet, if he wasn't raised by wizards. 

"No idea," She said before anyone else could suggest something. "I guess we'll have to wait and see who's missing."

She casually looked towards the Slytherin table, but couldn't make out if Ben was there from the distance and angle she was at. She knew he'd said he hadn't done it, but she couldn't help but wonder if he'd been lying. His uncle was the headmaster, so he could get away with things normal students would be suspended for.

After breakfast, Rey pulled Finn aside and walked with him through a corridor that eventually branched off to the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw common rooms. They were the only people there, footsteps echoing off the stone floors.

" _So_..." Finn said awkwardly, glancing over at her. "What's going on?"

Rey gave him a look, preparing herself to stay calm. "Did you tell a teacher about Ben?" His eyes widened into saucers, and before he could sputter out a lie he'd regret, she said, "Please be honest." 

Finn released a heavy sigh, glancing away. He slowly strayed nodding before he admitted, “Yeah. I'm really sorry, Peanut, but I had to." 

"I know," she agreed miserably. "But it wasn't Ben, though. At least, that's what he told me."

"You talked to him about it?" 

"Not really," Rey muttered, frowning at the memory. "He said he used to trust me, accused me of being a snitch, said he didn't hex Kaydel, and then left the astronomy tower without another word."

Finn grimaced, shaking his head. "Sorry about that...at least they still caught the person anyway, right?" At the look on her face he immediately back-pedalled. "Never mind. Did I already say I'm sorry?"

Rey gave his shoulder a pat to show she wasn't really angry. "I don't know what I can do to make Ben believe it wasn't me who told on him."

"I-I'm staying anonymous, though, right?" Finn asked tentatively.

"Yeah," Rey agreed with a sigh. It would be _so_ easy to just tell Ben it was Finn who'd snitched, but she had a feeling things weren't going to end so well for her Hufflepuff friend if she did. 

"From what you've told me about him and your... _relationship_ ," Finn said, "I think he does trust you. That's why he's so hurt, because he trusted you a lot and thinks you've betrayed him. He just has to realize you're telling the truth, and that's his problem to solve."

Rey smiled at him. “Thanks, Finn. I'll keep that in mind."

He grinned back as they approached the kitchens. "And remember, you didn't do anything wrong. Don't let him bring you down with him."

"Okay," She laughed, giving him a wave. "See you in herbology. I'll let you know how things go."

***

"Poe, I was wondering what-" He shot her a glance, which froze her words for a moment, "-what you and Finn were arguing about the other day." 

He held up a finger as he finished copying a history of magic note off of the board, setting down his pencil with a sigh. "It's... embarrassing."

"Oh, come on," Rey urged. "It can't be that bad." 

"...I may have accused him of choosing Rose over me."

 She blinked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "You really said that?”

"I admit, it wasn't my best moment, but we've moved past it now. Everything's back to normal."

"I hope it stays that way," Rey commented, busying herself with flipping through her own notes. One major argument a year between Finn and Poe was already enough for her to handle. 

***

 _What is going on?_  

Her pace slowed as she entered her Potions class, heart already hammering from the apprehension of seeing Ben again. Something just felt... _off_ , and it didn't take long to figure out why.

Snoke was _gone_ , nowhere in sight and replaced with Headmaster Skywalker and an unfamiliar dark-skinned woman chatting at Snoke’s old desk. All of his old papers and trinkets were gone too, like he’d never existed.

Rey hesitantly took her seat beside Ben, brain working too hard to solve the puzzle of what was happening to do more than glance over him. She curiously peered across the classroom to where her least favourite person in the world usually sat, but found Hux was missing too. _No way_.

_Was it Hux who hexed Kaydel?_

She instinctually opened her mouth to ask Ben if hher suspicions were correct, but stopped herself at the cold expression on his face when he glanced over at her.

"What is it?" He asked quietly, a hint of annoyance in his tone. 

"Nothing," Rey replied with equal coldness, eyes flickering over his face as she shifted in her seat uncomfortably. He hadn't looked away yet, and his eyes were boring into hers. She finally succumbed underneath their weight, glancing away to the front of the class. Ben continued looking at her profile for a few moments until the start-of-class bell rang.

"As you may have noticed, Professor Snoke is currently absent," Skywalker told the class, eyes catching on his nephew for a moment too long. “He is currently under investigation, and will not be teaching here until further notice."

Rey tilted her head, squinting her eyes at the Headmaster. _Snoke, under investigation?_ _Not teaching until further notice?_ The news was too good to be true.

"Until his fate is determined by the Wizengamot, I'd like to introduce you to your new Potions master, Professor Ahsoka Tano."

The woman standing beside the Headmaster stepped forward, giving a wise smile to the class. She was relatively young, but held herself proudly, and Rey already liked her. Anyone was better than Snoke. 

"Hello everyone," She said confidently. "I'm very excited to be teaching your potions class for the next few weeks, and getting to know each and every one of you. I hope we can all learn and have fun during our time together." 

Rey was left feeling pleasantly surprised, and definitely satisfied with Skywalker's choice of teacher. She hoped Professor Tano would be their permanent teacher for the rest of the year.

After some more talking Skywalker left the class, and Professor Tano taught them a light curriculum-focused lesson. Her aura was so much nicer than Snoke's, and she even promised the class she'd try to replace their ancient blackboard with a whiteboard over the weekend.

The day was getting better exponentially. Finn and Poe had made up, Snoke was gone, Hux was gone- _Hux_. Ben was still upset with her, but she needed to know.

"Ben?" Rey asked quietly, slightly leaning in towards him but keeping her eyes on her paper to avoid suspicion. She didn't need a reputation of being a chatter-box on the first day with a new teacher.

"What?" He whispered back through gritted teeth, writing faltering as he answered her.

"Was it Hux? Who hexed Kaydel?"

He glanced over at her, softly blinking as his eyes flickered over her face. Rey glanced up too, their hazes melding into one.

"Yes."

Rey blinked back, first feeling a sick sense of satisfaction that he'd been caught but then feeling increasingly sick herself.  _Hux was using dark magic._

"What is it?" Ben asked. 

Rey shook her head, but answered anyways. "That night of the Slytherin party, after I was in your dormitory, Hux caught me coming down the stairs."

Ben's eyes widened in alarm. "What did he-"

"Just listen," Rey said, "I was coming down the stairs and he was being an ass as usual, and he-" she paused, remembering the details as clear as day in her mind. "He had his wand against my throat, threatening me.”

She pressed her lips together as Ben glanced towards the small bruise still visible on her skin, his eyes burning a hole through her.

"I was just thinking now... he could've hexed me with dark magic too," Rey continued. "So easily. He could've killed me." She shook her head, thinking about how lucky she truly was. "And he said something too- that you weren't who I thought you were,” Ben narrowed his eyes, “and I still didn't tell on you."

His eyes searched hers, and Rey stared back fearlessly. She was being honest. It was Ben who needed to revaluate his beliefs of what she'd done. He needed to realize that.

"I'm sorry he did that to you."

Rey shrugged one shoulder. There was nothing either of them could do, and Hux was gone. It wasn’t what she'd wanted him to apologize for anyways.

"You really didn't tell on me?" He asked hesitantly, as if he didn't want to believe her. She understood what it was like to want to blame someone for everything going wrong in your life. _She understood_.

"Of course not, Ben. I would never do that to you."

He released a heavy sigh, eventually forcing the words out. "I'm sorry for not believing you."

Her lips twitched into a smile, and she laid her hand palm-up on his thigh. Ben took it with his own, squeezing gently and breaking the horrible argumentative tension between them.

"Thank you for apologizing."

"Thank you for forgiving me," Ben replied, subconsciously leaning in closer to her. His eyes flickered down to her lips. "God, I really want to kiss you right now."

Rey bit back a laugh, leaning away to prevent him from doing so in the publicity of the classroom. "Later."

"Later," He agreed, eyes still roaming over her like he was seeing her for the first time. “We have a lot of talking to do.”


	31. Chapter Thirty One- Revelations

Somehow Rey had gotten away with sneaking Ben into her dormitory without anyone noticing- or rather, without anyone commenting.

The moment they were out of the Ravenclaw common room and up in her dormitory he was pressing her against the wall and kissing her with such feverishness she had to question it.

"Wait-weren't you- pissed at me yesterday?" Rey got out between kisses, placing her hands on his chest to get him to pay attention. This wasn't the reason why she'd asked him to come up to her dormitory. 

"Yeah, so what?" Ben breathed back, cupping her face as he pulled away enough to look her in the eye. "Are you complaining?"

"No," She replied, impatiently leaning forward to close the distance between them again. It was like yesterday's argument had never happened. She hoped it'd at least taught Ben a lesson on how much he jumped to conclusions. 

Just as his hands roamed lower down her body the door to the dormitory creaked open, and they both jumped apart as one of Rey's Ravenclaw dormitory roommates froze in the doorway. 

"...Hey Rey," The girl said, eyes growing wide as they glanced between her and Ben. "Uh....I'm just gonna grab my textbook and go back downstairs."

"Yeah, of course," Rey bit out, withholding a laugh as the poor girl turned beet red and shuffled through a book bag on her bed as quickly as possible. Ben raised his eyebrows at Rey, keeping his distance from her until the girl firmly closed the door behind her. "Well...that was embarrassing."

Ben hummed in response, grabbing her hand and gently tugging her forward to the centre of the room. "Which bed is yours?"

"That one," Rey responded thoughtlessly, pointing towards her tidy bedspread. She was eternally glad she'd remembered to fix her sheets that morning. Ben pulled her towards it, lightly pushing her down do she was sitting on the edge. He towered over her until he leaned down to kiss her soundly on the mouth. “Ben-"

"What?" He mumbled, running his thumb over her cheekbone. His touch sent butterflies through her body, and she was momentarily distracted before she remembered what she was going to say.

"I wanted to actually talk to you, not just make-out."

Ben frowned, but complied and pulled away anyways, sitting down on the bed beside her. 

"Seems comfortable," He commented, running a hand over her sheets. She quirked a brow.

"It's the same bed as yours."

Ben glanced up, playfully rolling his eyes. "Whatever you say. What did you want to talk to me about?" 

"Well...I was wondering about what happened when you were confronted about the dark arts stuff." Ben blinked, and she continued, "I'm just curious. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Ben pressed his lips together as he thought about it for a moment. "I want to." He shifted further onto her bed, leaning back on his hands. "I told them the truth. All of it."

"And what's the truth?" Rey asked.

"Snoke was manipulating me," Ben replied simply. "At first I didn't realize it, but I caught on soon enough. I played along with it, so I could get some... _incriminating_ evidence."

Her eyes widened, and she kept all of attention on him as she listened. 

"He told me to get the dark arts book out of the restricted section in the library. That was when you caught me. Afterwards, he ended up giving it to me directly."

 _I caught you then too_ , she thought. 

"I was keeping it hidden in my suitcase, and I guess Hux must've been snooping through my stuff-" Ben clenched his jaw in annoyance, "-because one day it just went missing. And then a few weeks later, that girl ended up getting hexed."

She shook her head with the jumble of new information. "I can't believe that happened to you...I'm so glad you didn't fall for it. The manipulation." 

"Me too," He replied, the corners of his lips twitching up into the smile.

Rey was so relieved that Ben wasn't involved with the dark arts. She didn't need that choice to make, distancing herself from him because of his illegal choices. He was better than Snoke's attempts at control. 

"I'm proud of you, Ben," She told him, reaching her hand out. 

"You sound like my mother," He muttered, but grabbed her hand anyways. 

"Do your parents know about what happened?"

"I'm sure Luke's already told them. I'll probably be grounded for the whole summer." 

"I guess I'll just have to come to you then," Rey suggested with a smile, leaning forward to brush their lips together.

 Ben smiled back against her. "I guess you will."

***

"Please?"

"No."

"You didn't even think about it." 

"I don't want to." 

" _Ben_ -"

He groaned, pushing his hair back from his face as Rey shot him a look. They were sitting across from each other at a table in the library, working on a group assignment Professor Tano had given them earlier in the week. 

"I just want you to get along with them," Rey explained. She'd kindly suggested that Ben sit with Finn and Rose during her quidditch game against Gryffindor the upcoming weekend, but as expected, he wasn't thrilled about it. 

He hummed noncommittally, shifting his eyes down onto the book he was using to research as if that would stop her. She stared him down until he finally relented. 

"Fine,” he sighed. “I'll do it. You definitely owe me, though." 

"Thank you," Rey grinned in success. "At least Poe won't be there. He'd wouldn't stop harassing you with questions, I know it. But I think you and Finn are going to get along great."

"We'll see," Ben commented grimly. "I don't think they like me."

She made no comment, but she did think they were going to get along. Whereas Poe could rub people the wrong way, Finn was nicer and less obnoxious. _Sorry, Poe._

"Are you sure they're going to be okay with it? Have you even asked them yet?"

"....I'll convince them," Rey assured. It was something she'd been... _procrastinating_. "Anyways, have you found any good information in that book yet?"

Ben shook his head, eyes somehow still skimming the text as he spoke. "You know, this is a _group_ project, Rey." 

She huffed, dramatically flipping open a heavy book she'd grabbed from the shelves. "You don't need to worry. I'm not one of _those_ people." 

"I'm glad," he replied distractedly, finishing the sentence he was reading before glancing up at her. His gaze was heated fire burning into her soul, but at this point Rey was not willing to back down.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked, still holding his gaze.

"You."

Rey raised her eyebrows. "Helpful."

"Get to work," Ben grumbled. "I want to finish this tonight." 

"But- It's due next week," she countered. Ben looked up at her, unimpressed, and Rey sighed in realization. "I forgot. You're one of those... _overachievers_."

"You act like it's bad thing," He said all offended, pressing his lips together. Rey held back a smile, biting her tongue to keep from laughing as an idea struck her. 

She outstretched her leg under the table, brushing against his knee. Ben flinched at the sudden touch, glancing up at her with raised brows. She winked, causing him to glance warily to the tables connected to theirs, which housed other students trying to get their work done.

"I don't want to do homework anymore," She said lowly, continuing to brush against his calf.  

Ben swallowed thickly as he watched her, adam's apple bobbing. He was quiet for so long she genuinely thought he was going to say no, but eventually he nodded, slowly, closing his book without taking his eyes off of her. 

"Then let's get out of here," he murmured. 

*** 

The dungeons were dark as Ben led her down the main hallway. Rey thought he'd been heading towards the Slytherin Common room until he took a familiar left turn, and moments later was opening up the door to the Potions classroom. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" She asked, starting to doubt his certainty as she closed the door behind her. "What if we get caught?"

"I'll handle it," Ben replied, leading her towards their shared desk. _How was she supposed to ever work there again without thinking about what they were about to do?_ "And we're not going to get caught. Trust me, as soon as the school day ends the teachers are _out_ of here."

"If you say so," Rey said warily, still glancing around the class for a hidden camera or something.

Ben stopped in front of their desk, tilting his head. "Don't worry about it." He glanced to the table, eyes dark. "Now, get up here." She shot him a look, and he added a strained, " _Please_." 

Rey hoisted herself onto the edge of the table, and the next thing she knew Ben was in front of her, the featherlight touch of his breath against her lips before he connected them.

There hadn't been much time in the last few weeks for romance, with quidditch practices after school as well as a load of homework. Ben was a drug she craved, and the feeling of his perfect lips on hers only reminded herself of how much she needed him. She couldn't imagine doing this with anyone else at the school. 

His hand rested on her knee, slowly making its way to the hemline of her skirt. The soft touch sent shivers down her body, and only caused her to open her legs wider for him to get as close as possible. Her hands roamed the planes of his chest, desperate to see the toned body he was hiding underneath his dress shirt.

Rey gripped the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer until their bodies were flush together. Her heart was racing in her chest, threatening to burst out. A sudden courage overtook her actions, and without a second thought she sent her hand low between them, cupping the growing bulge in the front of his black pants. Ben groaned into her mouth, breaking away from the kiss to fumble with his belt.

His movements were rushed and fumbling, and she was so enraptured watching his actions that she barely heard the distant sound of footsteps in the hallway outside. But she heard them.

"Ben- stop," Rey said hurriedly, snapping her knees shut and slipping off of the desk in seconds. His eyes were wide with confusion as he looked at her, hands frozen in place.

"But, you- I thought-"

"Someone's coming!" She whisper-shouted, running her hands down her skirt as the door opened not a second after he fixed himself. 

They were frozen in place as Professor Tano paused in the doorway, glancing between them. Rey's hand felt like it was burning, and she clutched it at her side, petrified. After a few moments of silence Tano started moving towards the teacher's desk, shaking her head.

"What are you two doing in here?" 

Rey looked to Ben and glared a response out of him. He’d said he'd handle it, so now was his chance.

"We were..." He paused, running a nervous hand through his hair. His face was flushed red, and Rey realized he had his hands clasped in front of him to hide what was underneath. "Rey thought she left her textbook in here, so I came to help her look for it."

 _Of course it has to me that's lost something_ , she thought, but gave Ben a small nod at his acceptable excuse before Professor Tano faced them again.

"And? Did you find it?" Her tone was totally unimpressed with them.

Rey glanced towards the desk, pressing her lips together. "Uh...no."

Professor Tano shook her head again, sighing. "Oh, to be young. I don't need to know what you two were doing, but what I do need to know is that I'm never going to catch you in here after school again, understood?" 

"Of course, Professor," Rey agreed, already moving out of the classroom. "We're really sorry, by the way."

"I'm sure you are," Tano called as they walked through the door. Rey moved so fast down the hallway she could barely feel her feet touch the floor. 

"I knew we'd get caught," she whispered to Ben, pressing a hand to her fluttering heart. "I just knew it." 

"And I knew I could handle it. Which I did."

"Yeah, yeah," Rey murmured, almost sighing in relief when they exited the dungeons. Her body was still reacting to the aftermath of his hands on her body, his lips on hers, her heart racing.

Ben paused by the entrance, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Lighten up, Kenobi," he murmured playfully, eyes latching onto something past her. Rey glanced over her shoulder and saw Poe, Finn, and Rose all entering the great hall together. "There's your friends.”

"You're my friend, too."

The corner of his lip twitched up into a half-smile as they entered the hall for dinner. "I'll catch you later, Rey." 

“Bye,” she replied, watching him leave her side to go to the Slytherin table. Maybe one day, if everything worked out right, he’d sit with her and her friends for meals. It would surely be...interesting.

Rey walked to her friends with a smile refusing to fall from her face.


	32. Chapter Thirty Two- Supportive

Rey walked out onto the quidditch pitch with her Ravenclaw teammates, brooms in hand. The early February air was crisp and cold against her face, already flushing her cheeks pink with numbness. She already knew she'd be getting cold, but in a match against Poe _'all I do is win'_ Dameron, freezing up was not an option.

The competition she had with Poe when they played quidditch against each other wasn't exactly healthy, but it didn't stop either of them from enjoying it any less.

Rey met his eyes from opposite sides of the field, giving him the sassiest look she could. Poe made a dramatic face back, and she had to resist bursting out in a laugh at his expression.

She turned her gaze to the stands, fruitlessly searching for her other friends. Finn and Rose had agreed to sit with Ben, but she didn't see any of them from so far away. Maybe once she was in the air she could get a better look, because seeing Ben with her friends was going to be a sight to behold.

It wasn't long before the game was in action. Rey launched herself high in the air, steering clear of the Gryffindor seeker. Kaydel was healed, but still deemed too weak to play the game by Skywalker, so she'd been replaced by some other guy. She could tell from the look on his face that he wasn't as experienced.

Rey steered herself over to Poe, who was flying so fast along the field she had trouble keeping up.

"Who's the new seeker, Dameron?" She called through the wind, keeping enough distance between them so that she couldn't be called out for trying to distract him. "Had to get a last minute replacement?"

He glanced over at her for split second to dramatically roll his eyes, jeering away to catch the quaffle from another Gryffindor chaser. Rey returned her attention to golden snitch-catching, sitting up straight on her broom without holding on with her hands. She absentmindedly played with the emerald ring on her finger, twisting it around as she thought of Ben. Somewhere out there, on the stands, he might be watching her. The Ravenclaws didn't throw quidditch victory parties, or else she'd be inviting him to it the moment after her hand wrapped around the snitch.

***

"Rey! Rey! Rey!" Her Ravenclaw teammates chanted in excitement, hoisting her up into the air. She giggled, grasping onto someone's shoulders with the thrill of their win still buzzing through her veins. Thankfully she was set back down in the ground, and Jessika was in front of her with a smile on her face.

"You played so well," She said, giving Rey a tight hug with the free hand that wasn't holding her broom. "I'm so proud," Jessika pulled away, glancing towards the other team members, "of all of you."

Rey grinned back, accepting a few more appreciative claps on the shoulder as she made her way towards the stands. An annoyed Poe was standing in front of Finn and Rose with his hands on his hips. She snuck up behind him, grasping his shoulders when she was close enough. 

"Good game," Rey offered, moving around him to accept hugs from Finn and Rose. Poe finally relented and hugged her as well. She glanced around them curiously, worrying at her bottom lip. "Where's... Did Ben even show up to sit with you guys?"

"Ben? Sitting with _you_?" Poe asked Finn, eyes wide with disbelief. Finn waved him off to answer her question

"He was just with us..." He trailed off as he glanced back to the stands and Rey found what she'd been looking for.

Ben was caught up with the massive crowd trying to leave, looking uncomfortable surrounded by so many students. He caught her eye, and Rey smiled up at him as he descended the small path of stairs that led to the ground. 

"Hey," She said, ignoring the glances Finn and Poe were sharing.

Ben smirked back, pausing a foot away from her. "Hey."

Rey desperately wanted to close the distance between them, but with her friends standing right there, she forced herself to save it for another time.

She cleared her throat to break the awkward silence, starting to remove her fingerless quidditch gloves. "Well, I'm gonna go get changed. I'll catch you guys at dinner." 

"Bye, Peanut," Finn said with a warm smile, ushering Poe and Rose along with him towards the castle. Ben remained, and although there were still straggling students around them, he cupped her numb face and brought their lips together in a heated kiss.

He pulled away much too soon to say, "You played so well, Rey. You were so amazing." 

There was so much adoration in his eyes as he looked down at her, hand on her cheek and all of his attention focused onto her. Rey's heart fluttered with butterflies. "Thank you. And thanks for sitting with Finn and Rose. It means a lot to me." 

Ben shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets. "It wasn't that bad, if I'm being honest." 

"Really?" Ben hesitantly nodded and Rey giddily wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged her back, strong arms wrapping around her waist before he let her go. 

"Listen," He started, "I was gonna try to come up with some romantic way to ask you, but I'm no good with that shit, so..." he pushed his hair back from his face, a little nervously. "Will you be my date to the Valentine's dance?"

She happily smiled, standing as tall as she could to press a chaste kiss to his cheek. "Of course, Ben. Of course."

He laughed a breath of relief against her face. "Great." 

"Did you think I was going to say no or something?" 

Ben pressed his lips together, shrugging one shoulder. "It's just... I know we're not official or anything. There might be someone else you're more interested in."

Rey shook her head to herself at the notion. "There's no one else, Ben. Just you." 

"You make me feel like I'm dreaming," he admitted, stepping forward to brush stray hairs off of her forehead.

"Same," She breathed, just as she heard her name being called in the distance. Ben dropped his hand, and a few moments later Jessika arrived, sizing him up with a critical gaze. 

"Solo," Jess acknowledged, shifting her eyes onto Rey. "Come celebrate in the tent with us. We're all waiting for our best seeker to return!"

"I'm your only seeker," Rey replied, but nodded anyways. "I'll be there in a second." Jess made an unimpressed _hmph_  sound as she glanced towards Ben again, giving Rey a knowing look before she departed towards the tent. 

"I have a feeling she doesn't like me very much," Ben commented, watching Jess leave in the distance.

"She's still upset over losing to Slytherin last year. And...I think she's a little protective of me." 

He quirked a brow. "You don't need protecting. Tell her not to worry." 

"That won't stop her," Rey murmured, smiling to herself. She had a feeling that Jess's care was going to go from cute to annoying when she inevitably turned into an overprotective older sister. "Anyways, I shouldn't keep them waiting."

She didn't want to leave Ben's side, but he was giving her a smirk and catching up with some Slytherins before she could convince him to stay. Her nerves were buzzing as she turned away and rejoined her quidditch team.

***

Valentine's day snuck up on Rey out of nowhere. It seemed like only days ago Ben had asked her to go to the dance with him, but a few weeks had passed and the day was rapidly approaching. In lieu of going into Hogsmeade and wasting money on some outfit she'd only wear once, Rey borrowed the same black dress from Jessika that she'd worn at the Slytherin party and used a colour change charm to turn it a deep red. She doubted Ben would notice it was the same dress. She doubted he would care, anyways, considering how much skin it showed.

Finn and Rose were attending together, and Poe had begrudgingly asked Kaydel to go with him as his date. She was quite pretty and nice, but Rey could tell she wasn't the one who Poe really wanted to go to the dance with.

She met Ben outside of the Ravenclaw Common Room, smiling softly as their eyes met. Seeing Ben out of his school uniform was something she'd never tire from. He just looked so... _cool_. Handsome. She had no idea how he could be interested in someone as plain as her.

His dark eyes openly roamed her body before landing on her eyes. "You look beautiful, Rey."

Her heart was pounding in her chest. "Thanks."

"Ready to go?"

She nodded and they were off, Ben's hand naturally resting on her lower back as he guided her towards the great hall. His touch still sent shivers down her spine, no matter how many times he did it.

The great hall was buzzing with students already on their feet and dancing to music. The lighting was darker than usual, providing a more appropriate setting for a Valentine's Day dance. 

Ben led her towards the drinks table, grabbing her a cup of punch. Rey gladly took a sip, inwardly relieved that she tasted zero traces of alcohol in it. They made easy conversation as they finished their drinks, moving over to a table when Rey spotted Finn and Rose.

"Rose! You look so pretty!" Rey gushed, smiling at her friend's simple pink dress.

"Thanks! You look so stunning!" She replied, giving Rey a smile. Ben and Finn were silently looking at each other, and she could tell Finn was sizing her date up.

"Hey Ben," Finn finally said, giving him a clap on the bicep.

Ben forced an awkward smile back. "Hey man. How's everything?"

"Good, good," Finn answered, and Rey watched the exchange trying to hold back a laugh. "Oh, there's Dameron." 

Everyone else in the group turned to look where Finn was pointing. Poe approached them, with Kaydel on his arm. They looked nice together, but neither looked happy.

Poe's eyes flickered to Ben, and he pressed his lips together. "Solo." 

Ben glanced towards Rey, a hint of alarm in his eyes, before returning his attention to Poe. "Hey Dameron." For the first time, she noticed Poe was a decent amount shorter than Ben.

"Let's go get some snacks," Rey suggested, ushering everyone over to the food table to divert the growing tension. Ever since they'd been in the presence of her friends, Ben had stopped all contact between them, and it was annoying. She held his free hand once they'd all gotten themselves a plate of snacks, and he shot her a quick smile.

The night continued on as expected, Rey almost sighing in relief when everyone decided to go dance. She pulled Ben away from where her friends had headed, not needing their judgemental gazes on her. They meant well, but... they were intimidating.

Rey wrapped her arms around Ben's neck, smiling as his hands finally rested on her waist. They swayed to the music, and she was reminded of when they danced together at the Halloween dance. She'd been scared out of her mind to just give him a simple kiss on the cheek, and now kissing him felt like the most natural thing in the world. 

She didn't know if she started turning naturally or if Ben urged her on, but somehow she ended up with him standing behind her. They were near the middle of the great hall, and the few teachers chaperoning were on the outskirts of the room with no view of them. Ben rested his hands lightly on her waist from behind, and Rey tentatively started circling her hips to the beat of the music. 

Her ears were ringing with the loud music, and her heart was racing as he gained confidence and lowered his hands to her hips. She slowly backed up against him, reaching a hand back to wrap around his neck. Ben's skin was hot, and she could feel his breath on her face as she leaned her head back on his shoulder. 

Ben leaned down and brushed his lips against her pulse point, sending her heart rate fluttering at his touch. They were practically flush together at this point, and his body heat pressed against her brought pure bliss into her mind. 

"Rey," He breathed into her ear, and she turned her head to look at him. His eyes were lidded with desire that made her stomach bottom out. The silent question in his eyes didn't need a spoken answer. With a nod of her head, Ben was taking her hand and leading her out of the great hall in a rush of people flying by. 

The air instantly felt cooler when they were out in the corridor, away from so many bodies taking up so much space. Rey took a deep breath, shifting her gaze back onto Ben. 

"So...." She started, licking her lips.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere."

"Anywhere?"

"Just get me out of this hallway.” Ben nodded and promptly led her down another corridor. She watched the many doors speed by them and her throat tightened at the memory of being caught last time. "Actually, not anywhere. Not a classroom." 

"On it," He responded, taking another turn. Rey'd never had any classes in that area of the castle, so it was all unfamiliar. 

Finally he stopped in front of a slightly smaller door, taking out his wand and muttering " _alohomora_ " underneath his breath before opening it up. Rey followed him inside, the minimal light from the hallway disappearing as soon as he closed the door behind them.

"What is this?" Rey asked, eyes slowly adjusting to the low light levels. 

Ben took a few seconds to respond. "You said anywhere, so... a supply closet."

She shrugged in the darkness, then realized he might not have seen it and said, "It's fine. Let's just continue."

"Impatient, huh?" Ben murmured in her ear, and she flinched at how close he'd suddenly gotten. His hand ghosted down her waist, annoyingly light. 

"Just kiss me already," She whined, finding the collar of his shirt and tugging him down. He laughed, a deep rumbling sound that reverberated through her body.

"If you insist.” Rey shivered as his lips found hers in the darkness. She would never tire of the way he kissed her, so intensely it made her toes curl.

He backed her up against something hard- _a table? A shelf?_ \- and hooked his hands underneath her thighs, lifting her onto a smooth surface with ease. _A table then_. Rey wrapped her legs around his waist, dress hiking up. Her eyes were almost adjusted to the light now, and she opened them to undo the buttons on Ben's shirt. She didn't know where this was heading, and she didn't care. 

Finally she reached the last one, running her hands over the hard planes of his bare chest for the first time. He ran his hands up her thighs, bringing her dress up higher. Their breathing was ragged and full of need, even though there wasn't anywhere either of them had to be.

Suddenly Ben broke away, and Rey opened her mouth to complain when she saw him kneeling on the ground in front of her, pulling her to the edge of the table 

She was openly gaping at the sight, and Ben glanced up at her with raised brows. "Everything okay?" 

Her heart was pounding in her ears, but somehow she forced out a shaky, "Yeah.” She swallowed hard as he ran his hands under the sides of the dress and tugged down her underwear in ome swift movement. _Oh god, oh god, oh god_. _Is this even happening?_  Her mind was spinning, and a part of her wanted to tell him to stop but as his face disappeared between her legs and she felt his hot breath against her she craved it more than anything.

Nothing could've prepared her for the feeling of that amazing mouth of his. It was sinful how good he was, how he moved his tongue against her to make her see stars. She dug her hands into his thick hair for purchase and rocked her hips against him almost subconsciously, losing all control. It wasn't long before she was moaning his name and pulsing around him, pushing him away when she was too sensitive for more. 

"Holy shit," Rey breathed, panting as her heart rate lowered and Ben stood up again. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, eyes never leaving hers. She couldn't even think straight, blinking at his dark figure.

"Good?" He asked quietly, brushing sweaty hair away from her face with a finger-light touch.

"Of course." She glanced down in the darkness to the apparent bulge in his pants, licking her lips nervously as she reached out and started undoing his belt. Ben audibly swallowed, watching her face as she dropped his belt to the floor and started unzipping his pants. "This is okay, right?" Rey asked, looking up into his eyes. He nodded once, curtly, leaning forward to kiss her as she continued.

Now she was even more nervous. Ben was just so naturally good at everything, but her... she had zero experience aside from the Internet, which didn't really count. She silently prayed that everything would work out as she revealed his black boxer-briefs and cupped him through the fabric. 

Ben grunted into her mouth, one hand lowering to grip at her waist. _Now or never, Rey._ He was already hard, so at least she didn't have to try and figure that part out. She slipped under the band of his briefs and took him in her hand, getting the most satisfaction out of the way Ben immediately unraveled in front of her. He kissed her more savagely as she stroked him, his other hand gripping her bare thigh. 

"Rey," he groaned, hips bucking forward of their own accord. She loved the way he said her name, so breathily and with so much longing it made her heart flip. She loved making him feel as good as he made her feel. Ben moved his face to her neck, sucking soft kisses on her sensitive skin.

She sighed contently against his shoulder as he broke apart, glancing around the table before grabbing something in the darkness that looked like a paper towel and stepping away from her. Rey released her hand, attempting to watch him as he kissed her soundly on the mouth, a deep noise in his throat echoing through her body as he finished. 

Ben let his eyes flutter shut for a moment, leaning his forehead against hers. Rey lightly ran her hands up and down his biceps before cupping his face, tilting her head up to give him a chaste kiss. Her heart felt so full in that moment, like it would explode from happiness.

He quickly zipped his pants back up and re-looped his belt before picking up her underwear off of the ground and pulling it up her thighs. Ben patted her hips underneath her dress, a smile twitching at his lips.

Three words were on the tip of her tongue, but she held them back. Somehow, it felt like it was too soon to say such a thing, even though they'd known each other for almost six years.

 _Six years_... Rey still remembered sitting with Ben on her first time on the Hogwarts Express. They were complete strangers then, just two nervous children on their first day of school. Things were so different now.

"So..." She said nervously, a laugh breaking the silence. "What now?"

"Want to go back to the dance?" Ben suggested, tracing a finger along her lower lip.

"Okay," Rey agreed, reaching her hands up to button his shirt again before sliding off the table. She stumbled on her first step, blushing red with embarrassment as Ben grasped her arm to give her support. Her entire body was still tingling. 

The harsh light of the hallway made them both squint, and luckily no teachers were in sight. They walked back to the great hall in comfortable silence, each too consumed by their own pleasant thoughts to even think much.

A slow song was starting up when they returned to the dance. Rey happily wrapped her arms around Ben's neck as he wrapped his hands around her waist, neither requiring spoken words to voice their wants. It was just natural. Meant to be, perhaps.

He leaned in close to her ear, and murmured, "Happy Valentine's Day, Rey."

She continued swaying to the music, smiling up at him. "Happy Valentine's Day, Ben."


	33. Chapter Thirty Three- Aries

It was early April when Rey and Ben caught Finn and Poe making out in a supply closet.  _Their_ supply closet, no less.

She didn't know whether to give her friends an encouraging hug or run away, so she ended up awkwardly standing in the doorway with Ben on her arm, heart still racing from the anticipation of what was supposed to be their rendezvous. 

Her friends broke apart seconds after the door opened, looking like deers caught in headlights with their hands still frozen on each other. Rey mirrored their shocked expression, only breaking out of her trance when Ben whispered her name to get her attention. She forced a smile, stepping back into the corridor and gently shutting the door again.

"You saw that too, right?" She asked Ben, slowly walking down the hallway.

"Yup," he confirmed, seemingly unaffected. Rey shook her head, rubbing at her eyes.

"This is actually... really great. I shipped it from the beginning."

"' _Shipped_ ' it?" 

"Wanted them to be together."

"Ah."

Rey sighed. "Now I'm going to be the third wheel whenever I hang out with them. Lucky me.” 

"Just hang out with me instead," Ben suggested. "You'll have a much more exciting time."

"Can't argue with that," she laughed, glancing up at him. He smiled down at her, leaning down to give her a kiss on the tip of her nose. It was oddly sweet for a Slytherin. 

Two months had passed, and their relationship, if that's what you'd call it, was still going strong. They still weren't 'official', but Rey didn't mind as much as she'd thought she would. She knew Ben cared about her, even more than he was willing to admit. Labels weren't necessary to prove they liked each other. 

He even made her hang out with some of his Slytherin friends since she'd made him hang out with Finn, Rose, and Poe. Ben's friends were a little... intense, but she didn't find them too deterring. Phasma was pretty funny, despite how cold she seemed on the outside. It seemed Hux and Snoke's disappearances from the school had done everyone a favour.

"So," Ben started, "what do you want for your birthday?"

"My...birthday?"

Ben raised his eyebrows. "Yeah... its next week, right? The tenth? Please tell me it's the tenth."

"Yeah, it is," Rey answered, still confused. "How do you even know when it is?" 

He shrugged suspiciously. "I asked around-" _a.k.a. he asked Finn or Poe_ "-Anyway, what do you want to do? It's on a Saturday. We could go out." 

She shot him a look. If she was being honest, she hadn't given much thought to her birthday at all. It always snuck up on her, and Finn and Poe were the only ones who made a big deal out of it. What Rey didn't tell anyone was that she wasn't even sure if April 10th _was_ her real birthday. It was just the day she'd arrived at her first foster home. However, she did have fuzzy memories of celebrating her birthday in the spring, and she deeply identified with being an Aries, so the date was close enough. 

"It doesn't matter what we do," she answered. "Really. We don't have to do anything."

"I'll think of something," Ben said mysteriously, smirking down at her like he knew something she didn't. He probably did.

"Nothing crazy, please," Rey said worriedly, brain conjuring up a thousand embarrassing situations. "No surprise parties, no big displays-" 

"Don't worry about it, babe," He said with a chuckle, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She sighed contently under his touch, resting her head back against him.

"I'll try not to."

"Good," Ben murmured in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. She was still a little disappointed that they'd had their moment ruined, but she was happy that Finn and Poe were finally realizing their feelings for each other after so many years of denial. They deserved some time alone.

***

Rey woke up on her birthday feeling... _good_ , then progressively worried as everyone in her dormitory surrounded her bed, pulled back the curtain, and shouted, "Happy birthday!"

"Oh... hey guys," Rey mumbled, awkwardly trying to pat her very messy hair down. Morning light was streaming through the tower windows, which only made her squint more at the girls around her.

"Happy seventeenth, Rey," a familiar voice said, and she glanced around the circle to Jessika. 

"Jess? What are you doing in here?" Rey’s voice was still groggy from sleep.

"I came to surprise you," the Ravenclaw captain supplied, passing Rey a small blue box, "and also to tell you that just because it's your birthday does not mean you get to miss practice tonight. Sorry."

Rey shrugged in defeat, too tired to complain. "I'll be there. Thanks for the gift." 

"It's the least I could do for the best seeker in the school," Jess said cheerily, giving Rey a pat on the shoulder. "Enjoy your day."

A few other girls wished her happy birthday again and then went on with their business, getting dressed and chatting as they headed downstairs for breakfast. Rey stayed in bed for a few more minutes, rubbing tiredly at her face before sitting up and opening Jess's gift. Inside of the box was a stiff golden snitch, shimmering as she held it up to the light before setting it on her night table. A figurine. She'd have to thank Jess at practice that night.

***

Her friends could hardly contain their excitement from the moment she sat down with them at the Hufflepuff table for breakfast. Poe immediately starting singing the _happy birthday_ song at the top of his lungs, and Rey had to glare him down with embarrassment to get him to stop.

"You are _too_ much," She told him, face still flushing from the onslaught of people glancing over at her at his show. "But I appreciate the enthusiasm."

"I got you a gift too," Poe added, "I just forget it in my dormitory." 

"Well, _I_ didn't forget anything," Finn interjected, passing Rey a small gift across the table. "Happy birthday, Peanut."

"Happy birthday, Rey," Rose added, giving her a fancy-looking card.

"Thank you so much.” Rey placed everything down beside her plate. "I'll open them later."

Her friends all grinned at her reassuringly, continuing on with a conversation they'd been having before she arrived. Rey had been surprised with how well Rose took the news of Finn and Poe's new 'relationship'. They still weren't officially together, like her and Ben, but they'd been confident enough in their feelings to tell her and Rose about it.

Poe's latest tangent about a muggle studies test trailed off as his eyes landed on something over Rey's shoulder. He nudged Finn beside him, and she was about to ask them what they were looking at when she felt a familiar hand rest on her shoulder.

She was already smiling before she turned on the bench, gazing up into Ben's eyes.

"Happy birthday," he said quietly, a smile twitching at his lips as he passed her a small box, "you look nice today."

"Thanks, Ben," she replied, bringing her hand up to her shoulder to give his hand a pat. She wanted to keep it easy on the public displays of affection in front of her friends. Ben, apparently, did not. 

He started playing with the hair at the nape of her neck, and it was so soothing she had to hold back a soft sigh of content. She leaned her head against his hand, smiling up at him.

"Okay, that's enough, lovebirds," Poe interjected, giving Ben's hand a death stare. He slowly pulled away, arm hanging awkwardly at his side. 

"Do you have anything planned for today?" Ben asked her, head tilting in question.

Rey pressed her lips together, only slightly embarrassed that she'd planned to sit in bed all day. "I do not."

"Hogsmeade? At one?" He suggested.

"Wow, how smooth," Poe muttered sarcastically, and Rey shot him a look before answering Ben back. 

"Yeah, sure." 

"Great," he replied, glancing to each of her friends before returning his gaze to her. "I'll meet you outside your common room."

"See you then," she said, giving him another smile before he turned away. Rey faced her friends again, and stiffened as she noticed they were dead silent. "What is it? What's going on?” 

"Nothing," Finn and Poe responded in unison, shooting each other a knowing look before continuing to pick at their breakfasts. Rey glanced between them, frowning with suspicion. They were definitely up to something.

***

Surely enough, when Rey stopped by the Hufflepuff common room to thank Finn and Rose for their gifts, neither of them were there. She asked around, and found out that they'd left together twenty minutes ago. _Suspicious_.

Rey hated surprised. She liked to be in control at all times, if possible, and the unknown knowledge of what her friends were planning was twisting her insides with anxiety.

She met Ben outside of her common room at the agreed time, and it didn’t take him long to notice her narrowed eyes and tight lips.

"Rey? You okay?" 

She hummed, studying his face. "Sure."

Ben blinked at her, but withheld the rest of his confusion.

The walk to the small village was pleasant, and somehow, miraculously, the April showers had stopped. The ground was still wet and muddy, and Rey still found herself slipping and being caught by Ben more times than she'd like to admit, but it was still nicer than usual.

"So... _seventeen_ ," Ben started, glancing over at her as they walked down the cobblestone street of Hogsmeade, "how does it feel?" 

"Like every other birthday I've endured," Rey answered, resisting a smile. "This one feels a little better, though, just because..." she trailed off, shrugging.

"Because of what?” 

Their eyes locked, and in the strength of his gaze she found the courage to say, "Because of you."

Ben smiled, actually smiled, leaning down to barely brush his lips against hers before pulling away. It left her tingling and blushing and wishing for more.

He wordlessly led her to The Three Broomstricks, and Rey mentally prepared herself as they approached the building, jaw clenched. 

"Hey, calm down," Ben murmured reassuringly, stopping her outside the door and brushing some loose tendrils of hair off her face. On a whim she'd decided to wear it in her signature three-bun style.

She groaned helplessly, nodding her head. "I know, I know. Sorry." 

"Don't apologize," He replied, giving her arm a pat. "It's gonna be fun." _Fun?_  

Before she could object any further, Ben was holding open the door and ushering her inside. The change in lighting made her squint her eyes for a moment as she turned a corner, which was the exact same time too many people jumped out and yelled, "Happy birthday!"

Rey buried her face in her hands to suppress her cry of surprise, dropping them after a few seconds to reveal the blush creeping onto her face. Out of the small crowd, she spotted Finn, Poe, Rose, Jessika, and a few other causal friends.

"Hi," she said shyly, laughing nervously at all of the attention. Soon Finn and Poe were joining in, rushing forward to hug her with chuckles lodged in their throats.

"We totally got you!" Poe laughed, and Rey shot him an unimpressed look as she pulled away from the hug. 

"Sure you did," she answered, giving him a wink before turning back to Ben. He was standing a little bit back, hands stuffed in his pockets. "Did you plan this?"

He bit the edge of his lip, slowly nodding. Rey grinned and stood on her tip-toes to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug. She felt his arms encircle her waist, his lips barely pressed against the shell of her ear, his breath tickling her.

"You're so amazing," she murmured, smiling sheepishly as they broke apart. Ben shook his head to himself, a smirk on his lips. 

"You deserve so much better than me, Rey. You're the one who's amazing," he took a breath, "and beautiful, and smart, and funny, and talented, and-" 

"Okay, okay," She breathed, face heating up as she sensed everyone looking at them. "Thank you, Ben. And I don't deserve anyone better than you, because you're all I've ever wanted." 

"Awwww," Rose gushed from behind them, and when Rey glanced over her shoulder the Hufflepuff had a hand clutched over her heart. "You guys are so cute." 

"Yes, we are," Ben agreed, eyes flickering down to Rey's lips before meeting her eyes. "Anyway," He said a little louder, "let's get some drinks." 

The group found a collection of seats in the corner of the building, and most were already filled before Rey got to the tables. She looked to Poe expectantly, placing a hand on her hip.

"Hm," he hummed, glancing around, "guess you'll have to sit on Ben's lap."

"Poe!"

"Guess you will," Ben murmured in her ear, and she lightly swatted him before more room was made on a bench seat.

"You wish," Rey fired back, sitting down with a sigh of relief. Butterbeers were ordered, and she was instantly relieved when they arrived a few minutes later in frosty mugs. She took long sips, resting her head back on the cool windowsill. The chatter of her friends around her was...pleasant. Comforting, even. _And what was better? Ben._

Rey sensed his gaze on her and shifted her head to the side to look at him. He didn't glance away at being caught, instead holding her gaze and smirking.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, quietly enough that only someone purposefully trying to eavesdrop would hear. 

"Good," she answered, reaching a hand out. He took it in his own larger ones, running his fingertips over her knuckles. "This is the best birthday I've ever had, no joke."

"I'm glad." 

“Me too."

***

It was a few days later, when they were settled in the corner of the library working on some Potions homework, when Ben brought it up.

Rey had actually been trying to get some work done, but with Ben constantly glancing up at her from his own book, she couldn't focus at all. It wasn't long before she dropped her book on her lap with a thud, looking at him expectantly.

"Is there a reason why you keep looking at me, aside from my dazzling good looks?" She asked playfully, tilting her head. The corner of Ben's lip twitched up before he glanced up at her. 

"Can I talk to you about something?"

All humour instantly drained from her face. "Sure." Rey pressed her lips together in anticipation, setting her book off to the side. Ben was still holding his, or rather, gripping it now. 

He lightly cleared his throat before speaking. "I know we haven't talked about this kind of thing that much, but..." his eyes were frozen on hers, never wavering, "it's important, and I want to talk about it."

"Just say it," She blurted, clinging to her armchair. Her brain was racing for an explanation, and it was only coming up with the worst options.

"Well..." Ben licked his lips, a nervous gesture he didn't even seem to be aware of, "I want us to be official." 

Rey's death grip on the armchair lasted for a few moments longer until his words processed in her brain and she relaxed, sinking deeper into the lush material. 

"Me too," she replied shakily, taking a deep breath and repeating, "me too."

Ben broke out into a relieved smile, a rush of air exiting his mouth as he sighed. "Well, that was easier than I expected."

Rey grinned back, laughing aloud as she grabbed her book and crossed the short distance between them to sit across his armchair. Her head rested on one arm of the chair while her legs dangled over the other side, Ben underneath her. 

"Does that mean I'm your girlfriend now?" She asked, biting her lip at him. He followed the movement with dark eyes.

"It means you're _mine_ ," he murmured, cracking up and lightening his expression at her flushed reaction. "Yeah, it does."

"Sweet," she said to herself, still trying to finish her reading.

After a few minutes Ben started soothingly playing with her hair, and soon she was close to falling asleep, eyes closed and head leaned back at his touch. He was her boyfriend now... the thought seemed wild, but it was true. She would treasure him like nothing else she'd ever had.

"Rey."

She flinched as her eyes opened, squinting at the bright lights around her. When she glanced over to the old clock on the library wall, it was at least half an hour later than she last remembered. Her neck was aching in a way that told her she'd fallen asleep in a weird position.

"Have a nice rest?" 

A yawn escaped her lips as she glanced over to Ben, who was looking down at her fondly. 

"Did I fall asleep?" He nodded, and she smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's fine, Rey," Ben murmured, still stroking her hair. "I didn't mind." 

Sitting up was a whole ordeal, but somehow she accomplished it, pressing her lips against Ben's in a quick kiss. He made a low noise of discontent as she pulled away, nestling his face in the crook of her neck. His hair tickled her collarbone.

She wouldn't mind staying like that forever. Not in that awkward sitting position, surely, but with Ben at her side. Ben with his brown eyes gazing up at her. Ben with his sometimes arrogant, but mostly charming personality. Rey couldn't wait to see what the remainder of the their time at Hogwarts would bring.


	34. Chapter Thirty Four- Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only two more chapters left! The next update will be the epilogue. I’ll write a more detailed thank you in the next update, but I’d still like to thank everyone who’s read and commented! You’re all amazing :D

Exams were finished, the school year was over, and Rey was the most relieved she'd been since September.

Ben had offered to hold her suitcase, but she'd stubbornly denied, and now she was tugging it along behind her as they neared the train station in Hogsmeade.

The air between them was heavy with silence, not necessarily uncomfortable, but full of crashing unsaid thoughts.

"One year left," Rey thought aloud. Ben glanced over at her, the same nostalgic expression in his eyes.

"One year left," he repeated, forcing a small smile. "I never thought I'd miss this place."

Rey looked over her shoulder at the towering castle in the distance. It was just after noon, and the sun was beating down on her shoulders. "I'll always miss Hogwarts. It's the closest place I have to home.”

"Hogwarts isn't going to last forever, you know."

"I know," Rey murmured, kicking at a pebble with her shoe. It skidded down the pavement, and Ben gave it a kick when he reached it. "Maybe I could come back. As a professor."

Ben gave her a look, and she immediately bursted out into a grin.

"Yeah, maybe you're right..." She swallowed hard, squinting as the sun flashed into her eyes.

"If you really want to be a teacher, you should," Ben said, eyes focused on the Hogwarts Express in the distance, "just do what makes you happy. You still have a year to decide."

She nodded along, sighing as they reached the train platform. Rey took a final glance back at Hogwarts, giving Ben a reassuring smile before she stepped onto the train.

 _One year left._

They joined up with Finn, Poe, and Rose, sitting across from them in the train car. The air conditioning was running, and Rey almost wished it was off, just so she could feel _summer._

Ben's arm was resting across the back of their seat, and she didn't hesitate to lean into him. His body was comfortingly warm compared to the artificial air in the room.

"Guys, is that necessary?" Poe commented, giving Rey a pointed look.

"Um, take a look at yourself," She retorted, giving his and Finn's connected shoulders the same dramatic treatment.

"I'm just joking," Poe replied, smirking as he rested his head on Finn's shoulder, which caused him to break out of his conversation with Rose to glance over at him.

The candy trolley arrived not long after, and Rey grumbled as her pockets came up empty.

"Anyone want to buy me some candy?"

Ben wordlessly placed a galleon in her hand, meeting her eyes with a smirk. "You're welcome," he said before she had a chance to reply. 

" _Thank you,_ " Rey responded stubbornly, standing to purchase an assortment of sweets. _These need to last me the whole summer_. They never did, unfortunately.

She plopped down with her bag of candy, twisting open a caramel, and out of nothing else to look at, she looked at Ben. He hadn't cut his hair all year, and now it hung in thick black waves that went down to his jawline. It went a little frizzy in the summer heat, but she still liked it. She liked running her hands through it as they made-out even more.

Ben noticed her shameless staring and glanced over, the corner of his lip pulling into a smile as he took her hand.

"Feeling alright?" He asked.

Rey smiled, feeling the corners of her eyes crinkle in genuine happiness. "The best."

***

"So, how did your parents react?" Rey asked, nestling her cellphone between her ear and her shoulder as she made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Unkar was out of town doing something, probably illegal, and she was home alone and dying to speak to Ben. Not being able to text him was something she was finding increasingly aggravating as the days of summer break dragged on. 

"They...weren't happy," Ben replied, voice sounding even deeper through the phone. She hummed neutrally, using a knife to spread peanut butter on one slice of bread and then stalking over to the mostly bare fridge. 

"Grape jelly or strawberry jam?" She questioned. 

A beat of silence. "Sorry?" 

"I'm making a p-b and j."

"Oh." Ben made a noise through the phone. "The jam, then. Obviously."

"Obviously." She fished the unopened jar out of the fridge and set about finishing up her late-night snack. "Okay, sorry, I'm good to listen now," she said, plopping down on the beaten-up couch with an _oof_ , sandwich in hand.

"At first I thought they didn't know, because they weren't mentioning it at all," Ben explained, sounding miffed, "but Luke told them _right_ after it happened. And they still interrogated me anyways!" 

Rey stifled a laugh, pressing a hand to her mouth as she finished chewing and swallowing the bite of sandwich in her mouth. "That's unfortunate.”

"You bet it is," Ben muttered, sighing into the phone. "Anyway, after I explained myself they seemed to understand the situation a little better. I'm only punished for, you know, the _entire summer_."

She raised her eyebrows, glancing around the empty flat that she had the _privilege of living in_ , as Unkar liked to remind her. She wanted nothing more than to run away and never look back. 

"Rey? You still there?"

"Yeah, sorry," She murmured, clenching her jaw. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"You're pretty nosy, you know that?" She replied, continuing to silently munch on her sandwich. Ben didn't answer, and she grimaced. "You know what I mean."

"I know."

"Anyway..." She licked her lips, peering at the remainder of her snack and suddenly feeling nauseous. "To answer your question, I was thinking about running away."

"You- what?" Ben asked, and she could hear the confusion and shock in his normally calm voice.

"Not _actually_ running away," Rey clarified, "just, you know. _Thinking_ about it."

" _Rey_ ," he breathed through the phone. "Has he-" Ben stopped himself, and then continued, "-has he hurt you?"

She frowned at the blank white wall across from her. "No." It was the truth, although she had that sinking feeling that Unkar was getting even more annoyed with her as the days went on, and it wouldn't be long before his temper finally broke. 

"Alright. Let me know if _anything_ happens, okay?"

"Okay," Rey agreed, smiling in the darkness as she toyed with the edge of the sofa, where the material was fraying. "Thank you." 

"It's the least I can do."

She stood up and deposited the rest of the sandwich into the garbage, putting her plate in the sink as she made her way to her room. "I miss you." 

"I miss you too," Ben replied seamlessly, like he'd been holding the words in. "I hope my parents will let you come over to visit soon. I need to see you." 

Rey shut her bedroom door, laying down on her bed with one hand resting on her stomach. 

"It's too bad you're not here right now," She murmured, biting her lip as she waited for Ben's response. He was silent, but his breathing was still coming through the phone. "What would you do if you were?"

"...I would tell you how beautiful you are," He answered, chuckling for a moment before abruptly cutting himself off. "Uh... My parents are home. They're in the other room." 

"Isnt't your home phone portable?"

"Yeah." She didn't reply, and moments later she heard the distant murmur of his voice and the shuffling of him moving around somewhere. "I'm in my room now." Ben’s voice sounded breathless, either from going up the stairs or something else.

Rey licked her lips as she thought of what to say next. She had no experience with this, but she guessed Ben didn't either. "You didn't answer my question. I asked what you'd _do_ to me, not say." 

She heard him swallow thickly through the phone. "I'd... I'd kiss you. _Everywhere_." He let out a breath, and Rey had to keep herself from grinning at the power she had over him. "I'd touch you everywhere, too. Because you're _mine_."

"I'm yours," She agreed, tentatively trailing her hand down and sneaking it below her layers. "Only yours." Her stomach was doing flips at the sound of his increasingly ragged breathing in her ear. It almost felt like he was right there beside her. "I've never felt as attracted to anyone else as I am to you. I hope you know that.”

Ben made a noise, and then hummed in approval. "I can't...control myself around you. I don't think I want to."

She didn't respond, gasping into the phone instead and pretending like Ben was there, on top of her and kissing her and touching her.

"We need to do this more often," She breathed distractedly, gripping the bedsheets with one hand. She’d do anything to feel his lips against hers in that moment.

"I couldn’t agree more...” he inhaled sharply. “Rey?”

”Yeah?”

”Tell me what you’re doing to yourself.”

*** 

They spent the rest of the night talking over the phone, elated and happy and over-the-Moon.

***

The Organa-Solo house looked even more impressive in the summer, without all of the snow covering the green lawn and spotless walkway. The only thing Rey had was the navy blue duffel bag that Finn had lent her, now filled with her own clothes and most important belongings.

After learning of her predicament, (being stuck at home working for Unkar for the entire summer), Ben had told his mother and she’d insisted that Rey spend a few weeks with them. _They would love her company_ , she'd said, _Ben had nothing to do anyways, being grounded and all_. Rey hoped she hadn't been exaggerating.

She rung the doorbell, and not five seconds later the door swung opened. Leia stood in the doorway, a soft smile on her face as she ushered Rey in.

"It's so great to see you, dear," She said, giving Rey a hug, which she gladly returned. 

"You too, Leia. Thank you for having me."

The older woman smiled more brightly, allowing Rey to remove her shoes as she walked to the stairwell.

"Ben!" Leia called, tapping the wooden bannister impatiently. "Our guest is here!"

After a few moments Rey heard the sound of feet coming down the stairs, and Ben was pausing at the edge of where the last step met the floor, eyes locked onto hers. They'd spoken over the phone a few times a week since the summer break started, but they hadn't seen each other in person since the ride home on the Hogwarts Express.

"Hey Ben," Rey breathed, stepping forward to hug him. They kept the embrace light, but the feeling of his body heat melding into hers sent a shiver down her spine. His eyes were still on hers as she pulled away. _God, she wanted to kiss him. How could Just looking at someone create so much desire?_

Leia kindly cleared her throat, bringing Rey's attention back to her. "If you need anything, please help yourself. Our home is yours." 

 _Our home is yours_. Rey couldn't stop the smile from flooding her face. “Thank you." 

"I'll let you two... reconnect.” Leia gave her son a pointed look before walking away to another room. Once his mother was out of sight, Ben took Rey's face in his hands and brushed his lips against hers, painstakingly light.

She fumbled behind herself to grab onto the bannister for purchase, deepening the kiss as she parted her lips and Ben moved a hand down to wrap around her waist. The bannister creaked obnoxiously loud as he pressed her against it, and she stifled a laugh. 

"Let's go upstairs," Rey suggested, and Ben was tugging on her hand before she could say another word. She almost laughed at his impatience, too, but she felt the exact same way. 

Rey dropped off her duffel bag in the guest room, running her fingers through her hair before she entered Ben's. It looked the same as it had during Christmas, except maybe a little more lived-in, with a stack of books on the night table. 

"Close the door,” he told her, sitting on the edge of his bed, voice low. Rey bit the edge of her lip, shutting said door behind her, and then turning the built-in lock with a satisfying _click._ Ben watched her with dark eyes, a coy smile on her face as she stalked up to him.

A strange feeling washed over her, and with a satisfied grin threatening to break out on her face she pushed his shoulders back hard enough that he fell back on his mattress. Ben held himself up on his elbows so he could still watch her, eyes following every movement. He didn't seem deterred by her confidence, so she continued, slowly unzipping her blue hoodie. She was still wearing a shirt underneath, but it still seemed to entertain him enough.

Once the hoodie was on the floor Ben sat up, hands resting on the edge of her t-shirt. She lightly moved his hands away, pulling it off herself in the most glamorous way she could. She'd chosen to wear the best bra she owned, which still wasn't _great_ , but it was pink and lacy and Ben seemed to like it as he impatiently tugged her down onto his lap. 

"You are-" he cut himself off by pressing a soft kiss to her exposed collarbone, "-so hot. So perfect. So _everything_."

Rey did smile this time, running a hand through his hair as he kissed down her chest. It was always so soft. His hands found their way to the clasp at her back, and Ben focused his eyes onto hers.

"Can I?" He asked, lips parted.

She nodded before she would lose her nerve, letting out a deep breath through her nose as Ben fiddled and undid it, sliding the straps off her shoulders. His eyes barely glanced over her bared chest before he was flipping her over onto the bed. She was on her back now, completely exposed to his gaze as he removed his own shirt and quickly disposed of it. Rey ran her hand over his abs, revelling in the hard muscle there as they kissed. 

She impatiently wriggled out of her denim shorts, tossing them to the floor before fiddling with Ben's belt. He hummed contently as he ran his hands behind her, cupping the curve of her ass. Finally she got his belt off, throwing that onto the floor, too. Ben broke apart from her lips, panting against her face as he held himself up on his forearms.

"Are you sure-" he searched her eyes, suddenly serious, "-you're ready for this?"

"I'm seventeen, Ben," Rey muttered impatiently, wrapping her arms around his neck and tugging him down for another kiss. He broke away again, lips set in a hard line.

"I don't want to rush this, Rey. It's important." 

She stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest, heat rushing to her face. "So what, you don't want to have sex with me?" It came out in a quick string of words, and meaner than she'd meant. 

Ben sighed against her face. "You know that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying we should wait until we talk about. Until you're one hundred percent ready."

Her mind was clouded with desire, but normal not-turned-on Rey completely agreed with him. She clicked her tongue with a light groan of defeat. "...Okay. We can wait."

His lips twitched into a smirk, and Ben leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. A devilish smile was growing on his lips as he calmly grasped her wrists and moved her arms away from her torso. "Now, shall we continue?"

A shiver ran down her spine. "Yes, please," Rey replied, pulling him in for a heated kiss as he pressed his body flush against hers, the heat of his touch and the feeling of it all causing her to see fireworks when she closed her eyes. 

*** 

Soft dinner music was playing in the background, the ambiance of clattering cutlery and conversation laid over top of it. It was the first night she was staying over at the Organa-Solo house during the summer, and Ben's parents had prepared a meal that envied December's Christmas Eve dinner.

Her skin was still tingling from where Ben had touched it earlier, and Rey had to keep her thoughts extremely focused to prevent herself from drifting off into dreamland. Ben was sitting beside her, and his knee occasionally bumping against hers underneath the table wasn't helping her to forget anything either.

She was just about to dig in to the delicious looking steak on her plate when Ben cleared his throat and spoke.

"Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you."

Rey glanced over to him curiously, but he wasn't meeting her gaze, eyes set on his parents sitting across from them. Leia promptly set down her fork to listen, and had to nudge Han to stop eating and do the same.

"Should we be worried?" Leia asked, a wry smile on her lips. Ben shook his head, the same expression in his face.

"No, no... it's good news." He glanced towards Rey, dark eyes twinkling under the bright lights. "At least _I_ think so."

She nervously forced a smile back, setting down her own cutlery, because a bomb was about to be dropped and she was not prepared.

"Anyway," Ben continued, "I just wanted to let you know that Rey and I..." He glanced over to her again, “are together now. Officially."

Rey almost sighed in relief, grinning at Ben and looking to his parents for a reaction. Leia had a soft smile on her face, a genuine one, with an accompanying glint in her eyes. 

Han reached across the dinner table to his give his son a clap on the shoulder. "Your mother and I knew it from the beginning, didn't we?"

" _I_ knew, dear," Leia corrected, shifting her eyes onto Rey. "We're very happy for you."

Rey laughed nervously, intertwining her hand with Ben's underneath the table. "Thanks.”

The meal continued on as if nothing had happened, and Rey felt a sense of acceptance fill her heart. Ben's parents knew they were in a relationship, and they approved of it. They were _happy_ for her.

After dinner was finished, Rey and Ben retreated to the basement. She felt a little cheated that she hadn't seen it during Christmas, because the room was decked out with leather couches, another flat-screen television, and game tables. She was instantly attracted to the ping pong table in the corner, leading Ben over to it.

Rey picked up a paddle, running a hand over the rubbery surface as Ben took his place across from her. "I didn't know you were going to tell them."

"Me neither," He admitted, grabbing a ping pong ball and serving it with ease. "But I didn't want it to be a secret anymore.”

She nodded, too engrossed in hitting the ball back with accuracy to respond verbally. "You're going down, Ben Solo." 

"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" He taunted, giving a particularly savage return that hit the edge of the table and bounced to the floor. "That's one to zero, Kenobi."

She groaned to herself, bending over to pick it up. "Even if I had the money, I'm not stupid enough to bet against a Solo."

"So you're admitting you'd lose?" Ben asked, smirking crookedly. Rey gave him an unimpressed look as she served the ball.

"I'm admitting you'd probably find some way to cheat," she laughed. 

Ben pressed his lips together at her response as they continued playing. He was surprisingly good, l _ikely from having a ping pong table in his basement at all times_ , but Rey had played enough at Poe's house that she was never far behind. Five minutes later she was tied with him, only one point away from winning. 

It was Ben's turn to serve, and he was taking his sweet time to do it. Rey refused to look away from the ball, her competitive nature getting the best of her as he finally hit it across the table.

"You look cute when you're focused," Ben murmured.

"Stop trying to distract me!" Rey cried, a betraying smile breaking out on her face as she hit the ball back. Ben laughed too, and the sound was so unfamiliar and captivating she glanced up to see his expression and let the ball bounce off her torso to the ground. 

He met her eyes, biting the edge of his lip to stop himself from smiling. "I win."

"And what's going to be your prize?" She set down her paddle and slid around the table, slowly approaching him.

Ben's dark eyes flickered down to her lips, and he started to smirk. "A kiss from my love."

Rey smiled back, heart fluttering in her chest as he cupped her face and brought their lips together.

 _I'm his love_.


	35. Chapter Thirty Five- Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is it. I’d like to thank everyone who gave this story a chance and took the time to read and leave lovely comments. You’re all the best :D and I appreciate every one of you. This has been a whole journey for me, and it wouldn’t feel the same without all of your support! Ending the story is bittersweet, but I didn’t want to drag it out too much.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the epilogue! Thank you again :D!

~5 years later~

Rey still wasn't used to working for the Ministry of Magic.

She wasn't used to working a job at all, even though it'd been six months plus a gruelling three years of auror training beforehand. She still felt all bubbly every time she arrived at the building. _It was the freaking ministry of magic. How could she not be impressed?_  

Finn was already waiting for her outside of the elevators, smartly dressed in his usual work attire and a black tie with little broomsticks on it. The auror offices were only on the second level of the building, but he always insisted she ride the elevator with him. His office was with Rose's on level five, Department of International Magical Cooperation. 

Rey greeted him like she did every day, and together they waited among some other officials for an elevator to arrive.

"Don't tell me Dameron has a game coming up," Rey said quietly, gesturing to Finn's broomstick tie. Her mind was already searching for a mention of Poe's latest quidditch schedule. 

"He certainly does," Finn replied with a proud smile. "Saturday, against Puddlemere United. Right here in London." 

She grimaced. "I...may have forgotten."

"Don't worry about it. I think he already got season tickets for you and Ben. Speaking of which..." Finn glanced around, peering over her shoulder. "Where’s Solo?" 

"He had to talk to Leia about something this morning. Went in early." 

One of the elevators opened with a chime and they filed in until the floor space was packed. The walls were mirrored, and Rey shamelessly faced one to quickly check her appearance. 

She was wearing a reddish lipstick that Ben had said he liked during a date last weekend. Office life would be the most boring thing in the world if it weren't for him and her friends. Lately Rey had found herself sneaking into Ben's cubicle at least once a day, or given him a call over their work line just to hear his voice when she was bored. Their cubicles were, unfortunately, on opposite sides of the auror office.

"When you see Poe at home later, tell him I'm calling him tonight to talk about the quidditch tickets," She told Finn as the elevator chimed open on level two.

"Will do, Peanut. Catch you later." _After all these years, and he's still using that nickname_.

Rey smiled at him over her shoulder as the metal doors pressed closed, making her way to the auror offices. After pushing open the stupidly heavy wooden door that separated them from the rest of the law enforcement department, she was met with the familiar energy of her new workplace: murmuring voices, clicking keyboards, and telephones ringing.

Almost all of her coworkers said good morning to her as she passed by, which was another thing she wasn't quite used to yet- people being nice to her without expecting anything in return. She made her way to her own cubicle, which had a silver name plate outside of it that read _REY KENOBI_.

Her telephone was already ringing when she entered, and Rey sat down in her leather desk chair with a sigh as she answered, "Rey Kenobi speaking." 

"Hey Rey, it's Rose."

"Hey, how's everything up there?" Rey asked, glancing up at the ceiling as if she could see her friend through all of the floors between them.

"Eh, alright. I'm just calling to let you know about some _stuff_ I overheard in the elevator today, if you're interested."

"Of course I'm interested," Rey insisted, organizing through the papers on her desk as Rose spoke. Another thing that kept her job interesting was the endless supply of ministry gossip. It spread like wildfire.

"So, do you remember Armitage Hux? That ginger Slytherin?"

Her paper shuffling came to a halt. "Unfortunately," Rey grumbled, setting down her stack with a huff. "What about him?"

"You know how he was sent to Azkaban in sixth year for using dark magic? And how it was ruled last year that minors couldn't be sent there?" 

"Yeah..."

"Well, _apparently_ he was released a few weeks ago, and now he's trying to sue the ministry for _emotional damage_ and _unfair treatment_ and all sorts of shit." Rose scoffed over the phone. "Such an asshole. Guess prison didn't change him much."

Rey leaned back in her chair, cradling the phone between her ear and her shoulder. Her throat had gone bone dry. "So what, he's out on the streets now?" Her heart was suddenly pounding in her chest. _He's going to come for me. Or Ben. Or both of us_.

"He's... under surveillance. Anyway, that's all I heard. I thought I'd let you know, considering your...history.”

"Well...thanks, Rose," Rey said with a sigh, pressing a hand to her temple. She already felt a stress headache blossoming. "Let me know when the information goes public." 

"Of course. Oh- are you going to Poe's quidditch game on Saturday?"

"Hopefully, if he got me and Ben tickets. Will I see you there?" 

"For sure, girl."

Someone knocked on the wall of her cubicle, and Rey glanced up with the phone still pressed to her ear to see Ben leaning in the doorway with a cardboard drink tray. He smirked when their gazes connected, and Rey smiled back. 

"Listen, Rose, I'm going to have to talk to you later."

"Let me guess, is Ben there?"

"Maybe," Rey replied slyly, gesturing him into her cubicle. 

Rose laughed. "Alright. Don't have _too_ much fun."

"I make no promises,” Rey said, hanging up the phone. Ben was leaning on the edge of her desk now, setting a cup of coffee near her elbow. "Thanks, love."

"You're welcome," He replied, watching her as she took a long sip of the drink. "Are you feeling okay?" 

She set down her cup of coffee with a sigh, looking up at him through her lashes. "I just found out Hux got released." 

Ben grunted, taking a sip of his own coffee. "I heard about that too... But you don't need to worry. If he even sets his eyes on you-"

His eyes were hard, jaw set and fingers clenched over the hard surface of her desk. Rey reached out to stroke his hand, the warmth of his skin seeping into hers.

"I know. I love you, Ben." 

His broad shoulders relaxed, the anger and stress leaving his body as their eyes met. "I love you, too." Ben leaned down and chastely pressed his lips to hers, but she cupped his face and kept him there, lips parting as she tasted the coffee on both of their tongues.

He broke away with a chuckle, eyes trailing over her body. "We are _not_ defiling your office."

"Yours then?" Rey suggested with a devilish smile.

"Maybe," Ben replied, smirking as he gave her another kiss on the top of her head. "I have a lot of paperwork to do today."

"Just call me up if you need a break." She gestured to her phone.

"Of course." He pushed himself off her desk and straightened out his black tie with a sigh. "I'll see you soon, hopefully."

As if on cue her phone started ringing again, and Rey playfully rolled her eyes as she picked it up. Ben left her office with a little wave, swooping out with his fancy leather briefcase and cup of coffee.

"Rey Kenobi speaking," she said into the phone, tapping a pen against her desk as the person droned on. _Only seven and a half more hours to go..._

*** 

Ben’s sleek black car hummed to life as he twisted the keys in the ignition, glancing over at Rey to make sure she was was alright. She always caught him doing that- looking at her, checking if she was okay. Not that she minded his attention.

He drove them away from their flat, one hand on the steering wheel, the other protectively resting on her thigh. She had a driver's license too, but Ben preferred to drive. She also didn't know where they were headed. 

"Are you going tell me where we're going?" Rey inquired, shifting her eyes away from the road and onto her boyfriend. Ben spared a quick glance towards her, a suspicious smirk on his full lips.

"It's a surprise. You'll find out soon."

Rey pressed her lips together, fiddling with the car radio. She was slowly but surely trying to get Ben into Muggle music. She'd heard him singing pop songs in the shower a few times, but he would never openly admit he liked them. _One day._  

***

After a delicious dinner at one of their favourite restaurants, Ben had taken her to a park.

It was a park they'd visited many times together, either to walk around or go for their morning runs or have a picnic. It was fairly close to where they lived. 

Rey still didn't know why'd he'd chosen to take her there.

Ben was silent, hand holding hers, eyes set ahead on the lamppost-lit path. They were the only people in the area, but occasionally some cars drove by on the street. It was peaceful.

Eventually he slowed down, and then came to a stop facing something. Rey stopped too, shifting her eyes onto whatever it was he was looking at.

It was park bench. Ben was watching her expectantly now, a tinge of anxiety in his eyes, and she leaned in closer to read the shiny new plague attached to the wood.

' _To the love of my life, you are everything I've ever wanted. You are perfect in every way, and I will always treasure you. I love you Rey Kenobi, more than you'll ever know.'_

Her hand was covering her gaping mouth and tears were pricking at her eyes and Ben was pulling something out of his pocket and- 

 _Oh my god. Is this really happening?_ She watched him get down on one knee, looking like a Disney Prince with his perfect hair and the shiny ring in his hands. The _ring_.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Rey," Ben told her, his own eyes starry like the night sky and filled with emotion. "I love you _so_ much." 

"Ben-" Rey breathed, the tears slipping down her cheeks. Her heart was hammering and everything just felt like some big dream she'd made up.

"Rey Kenobi..." he smiled then, taking one of her shaking hands in his. He was shaking a little too. "Will you marry me?"

"Of course," She cried immediately, staying stable long enough for him to slip the ring on her finger before she collapsed forward. She was a sobbing mess, grasping his suit jacket and pulling away to kiss him over and over again. "I love you so much, Ben. I love you."

"I love you," He echoed, slowly helping her back up. "Do you like the ring?"

She'd barely glanced at it while he was proposing, but took the time to hold it in front of her face and examine the ring he'd given her. It was a silver band inlaid with small diamonds and a large glimmering one in the centre. It was the single most expensive-looking thing she'd seen in her entire life.

"It's so beautiful, Ben." Rey sniffed back her tears, shaking her head at the pure opulence in front of her. "I love it."

"It was my grandmother's," he explained, fondly running a thumb over the surface. "Leia gave it to me this morning."

" _That's_ what you were doing?" Rey asked with a laugh, messily wiping away her tears. Ben finished the job for her, his touch feather-light against her face.

"Yes. I just needed to do it. I couldn't wait any longer."

She embraced him again, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and never wanting to let go. Ben held her around her waist, burying his face in her neck.

This was what living truly felt like.

***

Ben had barely locked the door when Rey was pressing herself flush against him, hands twining in his thick hair and heart fluttering against his as she kissed him. She'd never remembered feeling so happy, so excited, so filled with love that she felt like she was going to burst.

She broke away in the middle of their heated kiss to grin in the darkness. "We're actually going to get married!"

Ben smiled back, taking the moment of separation to remove his black jacket. "We certainly are. And we can do whatever you want."

Rey toed off her shoes and let him hang her coat in the closet, sighing with content. "I can't believe we're going to have a wedding. I can't believe you're going to be my _husband_." She laughed like she did when she was drunk, hugging him and letting him spin them in a circle. "I love you, _Fiancé_."

Ben chuckled, the sound reverberating through his chest. "Love you too, _Fiancée_." He bent down to kiss her soundly on the mouth, switching their positions so she was backed up against the door. Rey ran her hands over his chest as he mouthed down her neck, hooking a leg around his waist.

"Bedroom?" He asked, stroking his hand along the back of her thigh. 

"Bedroom," Rey agreed breathlessly, holding onto him as he carried her through their flat and into their bedroom.

"Lumos," Ben muttered impatiently, the night table lamp turning on as he dropped her on the bed. 

She wordlessly removed her blouse, leaning back and watching Ben deftly undo the buttons of his shirt. With every inch of revealed muscle her heart was beating faster in anticipation. He climbed on top of her when he was done, running his hands up her bare sides.

" _So beautiful_ ," he murmured, sucking a mark onto her pulse point. Rey squirmed underneath him, desperate for any friction. "My _wife_." 

"Not yet," Rey laughed, sitting up as the layers between them grew too uncomfortable to bear. She shimmied out of her jeans, tossing them onto the carpeted floor as Ben did the same. The air was cool, prickling goosebumps across her bare skin.

They'd done this so many times all of their cues had turned non-verbal, a single look communicating a hundred different words. After searching her eyes for permission Ben hooked his fingers under the band of her underwear and tugged them down her legs as she unclasped her bra and threw it aside.

Stars flew across her vision as he flattened her against their mattress, one hand moving upwards to her breasts as the other moved down to work his fingers against her. 

"Ben..." Rey moaned into his neck, tilting her head back into the pillow as her chest heaved for breaths, brushing against his. " _Please_ -"

"Please _what_?" Ben murmured, slowing down his movements. He was noticeably hard against her, so she knew he wanted it just as much as she did.

With a noise of frustration she switched their positions, straddling his waist. Ben watched her with dark eyes, hair a messy black halo around his head as she slowly ground down against him.

He swore under his breath, only lasting seconds before he grasped her hips and sat up to to fumble around in their bedside table. He tossed a foil packet over to her and Rey pushed him back down, impatiently tugging off his boxers. She rolled the condom onto him, keeping her eyes on his the entire time, before he helped her align and they were both groaning with the sensations they'd been craving all day.

" _So good_ ," Rey murmured, planting her hands on his chest for leverage. Ben had his hands on her ass, fingertips unknowingly pressing into her. She'd never tire of doing this with him. She never felt so complete, so balanced, than when they were together as one.

Sometimes they were fuelled by lust and hormones and sometimes they were fuelled by love. Tonight was a mixture of the two, although it was definitely calmer than some of their other escapades. Rey was going to get married to the man of her dreams, to the man she'd loved ever since her sixth year at Hogwarts. They had all the time in the world. 

Ben's breathing was ragged, eyes flitting between her and the ceiling as they rolled back in pleasure. She almost laughed aloud at the memory of their first time together- at his house in the summer after their seventh year, nerve wracking and awkward and a bit uncomfortable considering his size. Luckily it hadn't taken them long to figure out their groove, what worked and what they liked. After that they were inseparable. 

Her arms were getting tired and Ben could tell without her speaking a word, effortlessly flipping her over. The new angle brought a barrage of indecent sounds out of her as he snapped his hips against hers over and over again. 

"I-" Ben cut himself off to kiss her, and she could tell he was getting close by the slight tremble of his lips against hers. "I love you."

 _How many times had they said those words to each other?_ Somehow it never lost meaning, no matter how much they spoke it.

"I love you..." She whispered back, digging her nails into the hard planes of his back as she reached the height of her roller coaster and rode the entire way down at top speeds. Ben followed not long after, and Rey couldn't help but think about what it would be like when they were trying to have kids in the future, of how good a father he was going to be, and-

Ben slowed down, pulling out with a sigh of exhaustion and collapsing beside her. They stayed like that for a moment, catching their breaths and blinking up at their white ceiling. Rey needed time to collect her scrambled thoughts anyway. 

Eventually he rolled over onto his side, pulling the thick covers over them. He brushed some hair out of her face, and she smiled in thanks as she faced him.

Rey brought her arm out of the blankets to examine the ring Ben had given her. _No, not to examine_ \- to _appreciate_ , because he could've given her a piece of plastic and she would've loved it all the same. 

"Doesn't it cost a lot of money to have a wedding?" She wondered, dropping her hand to look him in the eye. 

Ben shrugged, wrapping a lazy arm around her. "So what if it does? We have the resources."

"You mean your parents."

"Don't talk about my parents right now," he chuckled, and she grinned sheepishly as she snuggled up against his warm chest. Ben was always like some sort of furnace, not that she minded.

"Ben?" She traced circles on his shoulder, breathing softly against him. "Can I ask you something?" 

He shifted against her. "Of course." 

"When did you start liking me?"

A smile overtook Ben’s face, and he pressed his lips together as he thought. “I don't know about an exact moment, but... after we were paired up for Potions and Astronomy. When we started talking." He smirked, giving her a quick kiss. "When I got to know how amazing you were."

Rey rolled her eyes, remembering all of the moments he'd acted like she was the complt opposite, but chose to forget about those. They didn't matter anymore. All that did was her, and Ben, and their future together.

"What about you?" He asked.

"I would say the same. Definitely before our first kiss." She giggled as his hand skimmed down her side underneath the covers, long fingers splaying onto the curve of her ass. 

"So." Rey played with the tips of his hair as she spoke. "Who are we going to tell first?" 

"Whoever you want," Ben answered, leaning forward to brush his lips against hers. She was nowhere near ready for a second round, but kissed him back and wrapped a leg over his waist anyway. 

"But who do you _want_ to tell first?"

"It doesn't matter. We could invite everyone over to tell them all at once, if you wanted." A glimmer of a smirk crossed over his face. "Or they can wait until our wedding invitation appears in their mailbox."

Rey laughed, lightly punching him on the bicep. "That would be... kind of horrible. How about we just tell people when we feel ready?" 

"That's good with me." 

"Then that's what we'll do," She confirmed, already smiling as she thought about calling up Finn, Poe, and Rose tomorrow with the news. They were going to _freak_ out. "I'm gonna be so nervous doing it, though."

"We'll get through it together," Ben murmured, running his hand along her bare thigh. His touch was something that never failed to comfort her, and Rey was content to let her eyes flutter shut and curl up against his chest. 

"Together," she echoed, the words sounding muffled against his skin. Exhaustion was slowly but surely taking control over her body, limbs going lax against him. Ben was soothingly running a hand through her hair, and she knew she was going to fall asleep.

The last thing Rey remembered before falling asleep was Ben murmuring, "I love you" into her hair. 

***

 _How had she ended up here?_ In a floor-length white wedding dress with a veil over her face, inside of a church that was in one of the richest cities she'd ever been in. With a tight coil of anxiety roiling in her stomach- pre-ceremony jitters. 

This was her life now.

"Oh my god..." Rose's eyes filled with tears as she approached, meeting her eyes in the mirror. "You look so beautiful, Rey. I can't even believe you're getting married..." 

"You're going to make me cry," Rey said, turning around in her chair to face her friend, who looked very pretty in a purple bridesmaid dress. "And you look beautiful, too" 

Rose shook her head, carefully wiping at her eyes in order to keep her makeup job intact. "This day is all about you. And Ben. But mostly you."

Rey smiled, squeezing Rose's outstretched hand. They'd come so far since their Hogwarts days, hanging out with Finn and Poe in the library after school and during meals. All of them had changed so much- in good ways, of course. Rose had a nice boyfriend she'd met at work, and Finn and Poe were going strong on five years together. 

"Have you seen him yet? Ben?" Rey asked excitedly, using every ounce of her self-restraint to not bite her lip and ruin her lipstick. 

"I haven't," Rose admitted, "but you'll see him soon. Oh, it's going to be so sweet! I saw all of the decorations. It's like a fairytale out there!" 

Ben was a Prince Charming through and through. Rich, handsome, charming. Rey couldn't care less about his money, though. She’d wanted to spend the least amount of cash on the wedding, but Leia had hired them a planner and the expenses had started stacking up, and- 

' _It's okay, sweetheart'_. That's what Ben told her whenever she got anxious over it, pacing around their flat after getting off the phone with his mother. _We have the money. I want to do this for you. For us. You deserve it._

She was trying her best to accept her new life as Rey Solo, auror and wife. Not that she was ungrateful for everything she'd been given, but it was just all like a dream- too good to be true. 

"Ben is going to _die_ when he sees you!" Rose gushed, carefully adjusting the loose tendrils of hair around Rey's face.

"I think _I'm_ going to die when I see _him_." Just the thought of Ben in the black and white tuxedo Poe had told her he'd be wearing sent shivers through her body. He was going to look even better than her. She couldn't wait to see him.

She couldn't wait to get him out of his clothes either.

A familiar head of dark curls peeking into the room broke Rey out of her thoughts of undressing her husband. Poe grinned when he saw her, adjusting his black bow-tie as he walked up to them.

"You clean up nice," Rey commented, smiling slyly. She'd never seen him in a suit before. It almost worked _too_ well, like he was the one getting married. She was still waiting for him or Finn to propose. 

"And you look..." Poe let out a quick sigh, shaking his head as he took her in. "Solo is going to _lose his shit_ when he sees you."

"My thoughts exactly," Rose agreed, giving Poe a knowing nudge. 

Rey turned back to the mirror, eyes glancing over her reflection as Poe and Rose chatted behind her. She looked like some sort of glowing angel, surrounded by all that white. She almost felt bad for the makeup artist, considering the chances of her breaking out into tears during the next few hours was off-the-charts undeniable. 

"Hey, it's time to get into position," Poe announced as he checked his silver watch, a birthday gift he'd received from Finn. "We better go."

Rey blew out a long breath, nodding to hype herself up before she stood and followed Poe and Rose out of the room. Her stomach was doing somersaults now, and all she could do was pray everything went to plan. 

"Rey..." Poe stopped her, placing his hands on her bare shoulders. "You look amazing, and this is going to be one the best days of your life, okay? You can do this." She grinned despite how nervous she felt, accepting a hug from him and Rose. "I'm gonna go, but I'll see you in a few minutes. Good luck."

Rey had been overjoyed when Ben told her he wanted Poe as his best man. Throughout the years they'd grown closer, despite their initial animosity. The fact that they actually liked hanging out with each other with her forcing them to was an accomplishment all by itself.

"See you soon," Rey said cheerily as she watched him walk down the corridor. _Soon_. Soon I'll be seeing Ben again.

"Are you ready?" Rose asked, setting a hand on her shoulder.

Rey took a deep breath, feeling the nervous and excited energy within her fill up her body. This was it. The day she'd been waiting for since sixth year, ever since she laid her eyes on Benjamin Solo. This was her destiny. This was her future.

"I'm ready."


End file.
